Importing Section Due Dates

[bernard_hamill]

I have a course with each assignment given to two sections. My 25/26 course will be identical to my 24/25 course with the exception of changing the due date. When I import the 24/25 course into the 25/26 course I lose all my due dates even when checking the box to import and adjust them. When I go to "Edit Assignment Dates" on the Assignments page it will bring up all the assignments but there is only a box for one due date for the course, not two boxes for the two sections. Screenshot is of my existing course, when imported the two lines of boxes on the right become one and there are no sections listed on the left. I don't care if the actual dates get imported, I just want to section spaces so I can enter dates all on the same page.

[dbrace]

Hi @bernard_hamill,

In beta (not production), I just quickly tried a bunch of different copy/import options from a course with multiple sections to another course with multiple sections. Before the import/copy, I configured an assignment to have different dates for the different sections. When I copied/imported, none of the dates were copied.

I believe this is because the only dates (when desired) that are copied/imported are "Everyone" (or "Everyone else") dates and not dates for individual sections (or students)

This is probably because from a behind-the-scenes perspective, it is too difficult to align the sections in course A with the sections in course B. Another reason, related to that, is because course A could have 3 sections and course B could have 4 sections and the copy/import process would not know how to align them.

-Doug

[bernard_hamill]

Thank you for the quick reply/experiment. It's been a long time since I've done any programming so not sure it is possible, but maybe allow for check boxes that display the sections in both course so we can manually tell Canvas how to align them. This would be a huge timesaver since I know many of use have multiple section courses.

[dbrace · Accepted solution]

You are welcome!

I agree that the functionality you have described would be helpful.

Generally speaking and in theory, anything is possible from a coding/programming perspective. I will say that implementing something like this does (while helpful, potentially) make the copy/import process more (subjectively speaking) complicated.

If you are interested in taking this to the next step, this would need to be submitted to the Canvas Community as an idea by going to https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Ideas/idb-p/canvas-ideas. I would also recommend that you read the blog post at https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/The-Product-Blog/Turning-Your-Feedback-into-Better-Prioritization....

-Doug

[bernard_hamill]

Thank-you

[lsalgueiroa23]

Hi @dbrace 

I can see this functionallity is actually working in the BETA environment. Can you provide further information about this?

Cheers

Lucía

[dbrace]

Hi @lsalgueiroa23,

Since this was about 2 months ago, I had to:

1. go back and look at this by playing around in "beta"
2. review the "Release Notes" and "Deploy Notes" at https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Releases/tkb-p/canvas-release

In doing both of those I have feedback:

1. I was not able to import course A (with multiple sections and at least one assignment having different dates assigned to different sections) into course B (with multiple sections) and have the dates on any assignment with different dates assigned to different sections) be retained or shifted (there was one assignment with a date in it, not different dates for different sections, that was shifted and that tells me that the date shifting functionality is working)
2. in reviewing the "Release Notes" and "Deploy Notes", I do not see anything that new being enhanced or released

Based on that, I am not sure what you have experienced that is different than what I have experienced (which is, I believe, how Instructure has the Canvas LMS designed).

Maybe I am misunderstanding either you or @bernard_hamill.

-Doug