Shortly after the end of term your Blackboard course content, including student assignments and grades, will be removed from the system. We recommend that you create a back-up of your course, including all Grade Center information, shortly after your course ends. See the Blackboard Course Lifecylce page for more information.
Backing-up for your own course allows you to keep a record of course interactions and provides you with access to student and course information should any of your students’ petition their grades or request deferred exams.
Timelines
- 90 days after the end of term student information is removed from the course shell. All interactive material (discussion boards, blogs, journals, etc.) and grade information disappears, and students no longer have access to the shell.
- Two semesters after a course ends instructors will no longer have access to their course shell.
- In order to create a back-up of your course that contains course content, student interactions and student grades, you must create an archive within three months of the term ending. To save your course content, you must create a back-up within two semesters of the term ending.
Methods
You can back-up your course using several methods. It is recommended that you create an archive of your course and download a separate CSV file copy of the grade center. However, you may use any method or combination of methods that suit you needs.
- Create an Archive: Creates a zipped file containing a permanent record of course interactions including all content, student enrollments and user interactions. Archived files should only be opened by importing them into a new course shell.
- Export Selected Material: Creates a zipped file containing a copy of user-selected course content. Does not include student enrollment or interactions. Exported files should only be opened by importing them into a new course shell.
- Download Grade Center: Download full or selected columns from Grade Center as a CSV file. Grade Center downloads can be opened on any computer that has spreadsheet or text editing software.