[ARCHIVED] Course Copy VS Course Sections

[jbeecher]

I teach semester-based courses, and I have always just copied my courses each new semester. I'm wondering if there is a better way. I have never used sections in my courses. Would it be more beneficial to just add new sections to the course each new semester (ex: fall 2019 and spring 2020). What would be the pitfalls of doing it that way? Looking for some veteran tips before I jump in with a new idea. 

[James · Accepted solution]

 @jbeecher  

Keep doing it the way you have been and create a new course shell for each semester.

You can use sections as a logical grouping within a course, they do not have to match up with your institution's course sections unless your Canvas admins have locked it down (we do).

However, if you try to put fall and spring students into the same course with different sections, then they are all enrolled in the same course at the same time. Students who have completed the course will get announcements and assignment notifications. The new students will start off with the discussions that are already there from the previous term and past students will get the discussion notifications for a course they're no longer in. The gradebook will have students from both terms in it.

There are ways to address some of those issues, but it's a lot of extra work for you and you may not be able to completely isolate the previous students from the current ones.

Since you're able to use a new course shell each term, continue to do that.

[jbeecher]

Thanks!