Blueprint and associated course for a shorter term

[GRE6]

Hi. Sorry if this has already been asked, but I didn't see it anywhere.

Like many schools, we have 15-week semesters and then shorter terms during the summer (five weeks in my case). I'm thinking that creating a blueprint (i.e., master) and associated course for the summer is the way to go in this scenario, but I'm not sure.

(1) For the summer, I will need different modules and due dates, but otherwise the content will be the same as every other semester. Changing all of this for the summer term and then having to change it back (especially the reorganized modules) for the fall semester is what I want to avoid.

(2) I will make changes to the content during the summer term, and that content will need to be included in the fall course. (So, importing last spring's course in the fall won't work---at least not without duplicating any changes that I make during the summer.) Making changes to the blueprint during the summer and then importing the blueprint in the fall seems preferable.

(3) This is in the instructions posted here: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-sync-course-content-in-a-blueprint-cour...

"If modules or module items are rearranged in an associated course, the module order will be updated to match the blueprint course structure in the next sync. If a module item in an associated course is moved to another module, the module item will exist in both modules."

If I'm reading this correctly and it hasn't changed, then creating new modules for the summer term (in the associated course) won't work?

Thanks.

[ColtonSwapp]

Hello @GRE6 

Blueprint courses are very cool because they allow you to update and populate courses en masse with content at the convenience of a click. 

It looks like you are going to be using this for your summer and fall courses. You can do it this way, having one master BP sync to courses in the summer and fall. 

In my experience, some school's will set up separate master blueprint courses and sync content to the courses in the two different terms. They would have a blueprint syncing to the summer courses, and a separate one to the fall courses in case any content has changed and what not during the semester. The other thing I have seen is that they will sync for their current courses until the last day of the semester, the un-associate the summer courses with the master BP, and associate the new fall courses, followed by pushing updates to the new summer course. This will ensure that the summer courses are not being updated and only fall courses are receiving the content. 

You can lock objects and keep other items unlocked. locked objects may include attributes for content, points, due dates, and availability dates. Attributes may apply to some or all object types: assignments, discussions, pages, files, and quizzes. Are you going to setting up the assignment and quiz due dates in the master? Or are you leaving that up to the teachers to do?

I'm not exactly clear on what you are asking in your third bullet point. Can you elaborate on that a bit more for us? We would love to find an answer for you on that. 

-Colton 

[GRE6]

@ColtonSwapp,

Ok, thanks. Regarding my third point, on that page explaining how blueprint and associated courses work, it says (I think) that if the modules are changed in the associated course, then, when a sync occurs, they will revert back to the way that they are in the master (blueprint) course. I do, however, want to be able to change the modules for the summer term, but also have a copy of the course (the blueprint) that retains the standard 15-week semester module organization.

I don't know if the attached figure will help, but it lays out what I have in mind. I'll also add that I have only one summer section (and I am the instructor). And the course is not one that I am just getting from a publisher and then deploying. So, even if I try to avoid it, I will need to make changes to the course during the summer term.

thanks,
Greg