Import from, copy to

There are different ways to move content from one section to another: you can import from one class to another, you can copy content from one to the other, or you can send content to a fellow instructor. 

Copy a lot of content from one of your courses to another of your courses

You're likely familiar with Import Content tool Links to an external site. if you've taught on Canvas before. As the name suggests, you're moving items from one course into the course you're in.

  • What it does: you can move more content from one course to another. You can copy an entire course, a module, or multiple items.
  • When to use it: when you're moving a large amount of content from one course to another.
  • When not use it: it gets cumbersome if you just created one item in one course and  want to copy it to a different course.

Copy one item from one of your courses to another of your courses

This is called the Direct Share tool Links to an external site., but for simplicity's sake, we'll call this the copy tool. You're copying an assignment, a page, a discussion, or a quiz to another of your courses.

  • What it does: you can move individual items quickly rather than making a click journey from one section to the other for an import. 
  • When to use it: If you just created an assignment, page, discussion, or quiz in Section A and want to move it to Section B, or when you want to send an item to another instructor.
  • When not to use it: if you want to move a big collection of items. 

Send one item from one of your courses to another instructor

This is still called the Direct Share tool Links to an external site., but here we'll call it the send tool. You're sending one of your assignments, pages, or discussions to another instructor.

  • What it does: you can send an item to another instructor Links to an external site. even if you're not in their course.
  • Con: it's not meant to move a big collection of items. 
  • When to use it: When you want to send an assignment, page, or discussion to another instructor.
  • When not to use it: if you want to move a big collection of items.