[Commons] Option to Import from Commons as a Copy (rather than overwriting) for Templating

[CommunityTeam]

Right now, if you import the same content from the commons into a course you have already imported into, it does not make a new copy of the content.  This is a desirable behavior for fully fleshed out content, but with the option to bring in content as a copy, it would open up the Commons as an amazing templating tool.  For example, a teacher could build a perfect module template, without all the content fleshed out, share it to the Commons, and then copy it into their course numerous times for each module in the course.  So it would be a way to build something once, and use it multiple times in the same course!

Transferred from the old Commuity

Originally posted by: Michelle Lattke

Additional contributions by: Jason Abbitt

[kmcgee]

We love this idea and see this as a very necessary interaction between Canvas and Commons! Thanks for sharing and stay posted for when we'll be able to work into our product development timeline.

[MattHanes]

This would make the Commons considerably more useful. We found out the hard way that you can't import page templates twice. Our teachers are importing quizzes from Commons and if the quiz is updated and they want to give the updated quiz to a new group of students, then the quiz answer IDs are overwritten and they lose all the quiz statistics from the previous version.

[gharbor]

This was one of the selling points of Canvas!??

I was lead to believe that we could create a collection of templates on Commons for our insitution, and then people could use and reuse those templates in their courses.

Now, every time they import the same template into a course it OVERWRITES the content which they previously imported and edited!!!!

Surely this is a BUG and not a feature request?!??

Deactivated user​

[ccarriga]

Any updates on this?  I thought this was already possible in Canvas, and it is really necessary because Canvas has no simple "copy" feature for various items.  I was told that the Commons could be used for this, and I could swear I've done it before, but now everytime I import a quiz I created, it over-writes any changes I made instead of bringing in a new copy. 

[ssimpso4]

We've encountered the same issue. I didn't see this feature request prior to writing up this request (" modifiedtitle="true" title="Course Imports: Prevent Overwriting of Previously Imported & Edite...) last week, so I've up-voted here and will encourage our other users to do the same.

[ssimpso4]

I just want to take a minute to reiterate how badly we need this improvement. Now that the new school year is upon us, teachers who have built a course syllabus are finding that it is overwritten (deleted) when they import their textbook resources (courses in Commons). This is a fundamental flaw in Commons design that is significantly compromising teacher's usage and happy adoption of the system. Please consider accelerating this on the potential timeline.@

[kathleen_gilber]

Well, at least THANK YOU for leaving all the uploaded student files when I tried to use the Commons module I posted to add the next chapter's material!

I only had to go back and change the titles, and I did lose some customizations, but seriously folks, if you have to add 12 chapters that all have the same assignment types, with the same point totals, and the same incremental due dates (so always due on a Wednesday for example), it's INVALUABLE to be able to make a copy.

Far as I can tell, if you create something, send it to Commons, then bring it back, you DO get the extra one.  But then the extra one is overwritten if you try to go to Commons again to add another.

I'm new to Canvas, not new to LMS's, and I'm a bit baffled....

But again, thanks for leaving all the uploaded student files!!!

[Renee_Carney]

This idea was moved from Under Consideration stage (no longer in use) to the Product Radar stage.  

This change was made as part of a feature idea process evolution.  Find more information, and contribute insights, by joining Focus Group: DRAFT Feature Idea Space. 

[jim_the_steam_c]

Every one who up votes this, should also up vote my  "create a real copy" request...  and then we can argue that their combined score should push them both to the top...