Step-by-Step Guide to Resetting and Restoring an MSU WebCT Course

This guide explains MSU WebCT recommended methods for re-purposing a previously used WebCT course into a new WebCT course offering. "Basic course reset techniques" outlines the automatic and manual reset techniques. "Working with backups" describes basic backup file information to be aware of and "Tips and pointers" allude to not-so-obvious information that may come in handy while in the reset environment.

a. recent course re-purposed

Description:
The instructor has just completed a semester in which he or she taught students via a hybrid or pure distance WebCT course and intends to create a backup of this course that contains all student data from the semester for his or her records. The instructor then intends to turn this recently completed course into a "skeletized" (clean) version which will be archived for potential future adjustment and use.

MSU WebCT recommended step-by-step:
"skeletizing" a recently run course using the "Reset" restore function

1. Create a backup of your course after all is complete.
   • make backup on (or just after) last day of class
     • when performing the backup function, a complete backup is created
   • includes all existing course content materials, intact student records and all existing communications
   • to create a backup: select Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Backup Course--> Create Backup
   • indicate course status in the description of the backup file
   • to remind yourself what the backup contains, write a description like "final backup of course from insert appropriate date
2. Archive backup on local computer - (download the backup to the local computer for safe-keeping)
   • create an appropriately named folder on the local computer to hold the backup file
     • WebCT backup files are created as .zip files
     • optionally: re-name the file during the download process (include full date with year)
     • optionally: after downloading to local computer, save the backup to other media also (CD, DVD, tape)
   • to download a backup: select Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Backup Course--> Download (under "Options:Backup Files")
   • on the server: leave the recently created backup in the course backup area for now
3. Return to the backup area of your WebCT course (Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Backup Course).
4. Select the radio button associated with the backup that was created and downloaded just previously.
5. Perform a restore function: Select the "Reset course" button.
• located down and to the right under "Options: Restore"
6. Follow the dialogue box prompts.
7. The "Course Restore" page will appear with a blue bar indicating progress.
• let it work - larger courses will take a longer time to finish
8. When the restore process has finished, select "Continue".
9. Go through the course to make sure that it "reset" the way you envisioned it would.
• check "manage student" area (should be no student records left)
• check communications area(s) (discussions, mail, calendar, etc.)
10. Optional: Make any necessary adjustments to the reset practice course.
    • adjust time-sensitive documents (dates, new policies etc.)
    • course design changes (new tools, different methods related to delivery)
11. If all is in order, create a backup of the "reset" course
• to create a backup: select Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Backup Course--> Create Backup
• indicate the backup of the course' status in the description of the backup
  • to remind yourself what the backup contains, write something like "clean backup of course from insert appropriate date"
• backup contains: course content with no associated student records
12. Download the backup to the local computer for safe-keeping.
    • create an appropriately named folder on the local computer to hold the "skeletized" backup
    • optionally: re-name the file during the download process (include full date replete with year)
    • optionally: save the backup to media (CD, DVD, tape)

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b. old course re-purposed

Description:
The instructor intends to use a previously taught hybrid or pure distance WebCT course as the basis for a new course offering. The instructor has access to a "skeletized" backup (made of the previously offered course) -OR- an end-of-the-semester backup that has not been cleaned yet.

MSU WebCT recommended step-by-step:
using an older course as the basis for a new WebCT offering

1. Locate the backup of the older course.
• should be archived on your local computer or located on media elsewhere
2. Upload the backup into a practice (development) course shell -OR- into the new "active" course shell.
   • if you do not have a practice course or a new course shell, request one
     • to request, go to https://btc.montana.edu/secure/webct.aspx
   • to upload a backup file, go into your practice course from your "myWebCT" area - select Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Backup Course--> Upload Backup
   • browse for the backup file on the local computer (or media) and upload it into the course backup area
3. Select the radio button associated with the backup uploaded just previously.
4. Perform a restore function: Select the "Reset course" button.
• located down and to the right under "Options: Restore"
5. Follow the dialogue box prompts.
6. The "Course Restore Report" page will appear with a blue bar indicating progress.
• let it work - larger courses will take a longer time to finish
7. When the course restore has finished, select "Continue".
8. Go through the course to make sure that it appears the way you envision it should.
• check "manage student" area (should be no student records left)
• check communications area(s) (discussions, mail, calendar, etc.)
9. Make any necessary adjustments to the course (if this has not been done previously).
   • adjust time-sensitive documents and course areas (dates, new policies etc.)
   • course design changes (new tools, different methods related to delivery)
   • optional: add appropriate communications prompts into the discussions area
10. Add student view account and check the "new" course thoroughly
    • use your student view account to make sure that all areas of the course function properly
    • if everything checks out - you are done!

If you've been using a practice (development) shell to reset your old course, READ ON:

1. When all cleaning has been done and all is in order, create a backup of the "reset" course that now exists in the practice course
• to create a backup: select Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Backup Course--> Create Backup
  • backup as a safety measure - if something goes awry, backup gives recourse
• note course status in the description of the backup (something like "clean, adjusted backup of course from insert appropriate date")
  • backup contains: course content with no associated student records
2. Download the newly reset course backup to the local computer for safe-keeping.
   • create an appropriately named folder on the local computer to hold the "skeletized" backup
   • optionally: re-name the file during the download process (include full date replete with year)
   • optionally: save the backup to media (CD, DVD, tape)
3. Upload the newly reset course backup into the "active" course shell that will be used.
   • request the new "active" course shell if you haven't done so already
     • to request, go to https://btc.montana.edu/secure/webct.aspx
   • optional: use the "course functions" feature in WebCT to perform the restore directly from practice course into new course shell (time saving function - no upload necessary)
4. Restore the newly reset course backup into the course shell that will be used for the upcoming course offering.
   • Check to see if you have a student roster inside the new course that has been placed there by the automatic insert process (population inserted into your course via the CRN/Banner)
   • Select the appropriate ("Replace users" or "Keep users") restore button.
     • use of "Replace users" or "Keep users" dependent upon status of course population at the point of restore
       • use "Keep users": if the automatic insert (population inserted into your course via the CRN/Banner) has occurred (typically 3 business days prior to the first day of class) then you'll want to use "Keep users" restore option (leaves the users in the course shell and ignores any users in the backup)
         • consider this: the automatic insert runs 3 times daily (7:15 AM; 12:15 PM; 3:15 PM) - so it may not be an issue for you
       • use "Replace users": if the automatic insert has not occurred

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c. manually resetting courses

Description:
An instructor could create a backup on the final day of class for his or her records and then just leave that backup with certain areas of the course intact (discussions and mail for instance) so as to retrieve certain parts of the course later at his or her leisure. After retrieving the bits necessary, the instructor will then go in and reset those specific areas while inside the course (in lieu of a full course reset).

MSU WebCT recommended step-by-step:
manually resetting a course using the internal reset tool

1. Create a backup of your course after all is complete.
   • make backup on (or just after) last day of class
     • when performing the backup function, a complete backup is created
   • includes all existing course content materials, intact student records and all existing communications
   • to create a backup: select Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Backup Course--> Create Backup
   • indicate course status in the description of the backup file
   • to remind yourself what the backup contains, write a description like "final backup of course from insert appropriate date"
2. Archive backup on local computer - (download the backup to the local computer for safe-keeping)
   • create an appropriately named folder on the local computer to hold the backup file
     • WebCT backup files are created as .zip files
     • optionally: re-name the file during the download process (include full date with year)
     • optionally: after downloading to local computer, save the backup to other media also (CD, DVD, tape)
   • to download a backup: select Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Backup Course--> Download (under "Options:Backup Files")
   • on the server: leave the recently created backup in the course backup area for now
3. Restore the backup into your practice (development) course shell to work on the course.
   • if you do not have a practice course, request one
     • to request, go to https://btc.montana.edu/secure/webct.aspx
   • to restore the backup into your practice (development) course you must first get it into position
     • if you need to upload a backup file, go into your practice course from your "myWebCT" area - select Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Backup Course--> Upload Backup then browse for the backup file on the local computer (or media) and upload it into the course backup area
     • OR -- optional: use the "Course functions" feature accessed from the "myWebCT" area to perform the restore directly from the "just-run" course into the practice course shell (time saving function - no upload necessary)
   • use "Keep users" restore option: leaves the users in the practice course shell (none) and ignores any users in the backup
     • note: some areas (like quiz/survey and assignments) are tied to the course student roster (grade book) - grades will disappear (not to worry, you have a complete backup always at your disposal if you follow steps 1 and 2 above)
4. "Capture" any areas of the course you need...
   • you might capture areas like calendar, discussions, email, student presentations (and more!) and download to a local computer before resetting these areas
   • why do this? having these areas locally virtually eliminates the need to upload and restore past courses for the purposes of research or reporting on how the course went
5. Reset specific areas of the course.
   • select Control Panel--> Manage Course--> Reset Course to get to the "Course Reset" page.
   • select one, more than one or all of the checkboxes - then select "Reset"
   • when the reset has finished, select continue
   • check the reset areas of the course (either as an instructor or with your student view account)
6. Done!

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a. about backups

• Backup files initially reside on the MSU WebCT server and are only accessible through the MSU WebCT interface
  • when a backup file is created (either internally via "Manage Course/Backup Course" OR via "Course functions") the file resides on the MSU WebCT server
  • to work on a backup (to make adjustments to a course) it is necessary to have that file located on the server inside of a course shell
    • typically, designers work in a practice (development) course that is adjusted and then restored into a currently requested "active" course that will be populated via the registrar's office
    • this may require a download/upload method (unless "course functions" feature is used)
  • when the webct course is retired (mothballed), the backups leave with it
• When "Create backup" is initiated, backup files are created as a compressed ".zip" file
  • the entire WebCT course is compressed
  • must have the backup file inside a course shell to actually look at the files and work on the course
    • using "WinZip"; NTFS compression (the XP "Compressed (zipped) Folder" function) or "ZipIt" (MacIntosh) to try and open the folder locally will not work and will generate an error message
• MSU WebCT support team recommends a minimum of 3 backups per semester
  • beginning, middle and end
  • also, to prevent disaster, whenever working on WebCT in "sensitive" areas (particularly the "Manage Students" area) or when trying something that is new to you that interacts with the records area or the discussions area, make a backup that enables you to "step back" if something goes awry
• MSU WebCT server allows 2 backup files per course
  • this requires planning on your part - and understanding the download/upload/delete functions of the "Backup Course" area
  • also, remember, a practice course gives you an additional 2 slots (one practice course per live course)
• Backup files can be renamed during the download process
  • when initially created, the backup file name contains the course ID (how the course is known on the server), followed by the day and time
  • file size and the description you wrote are included in the information associated with the file when viewed on the MSU WebCT server
  • when bringing the file down to your local computer (download) you can rename the file to more accurately portray the contents

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b. upload/download backups

• Because you are limited to no more than 2 internal backups per course
  • it is necessary to occasionally delete or download a backup to make room prior to creating a new backup file
    • remember! backups that are deleted are gone - there is no "undo" feature when working on the WebCT server
      • when in doubt, download the file, it can be easily deleted from the local computer at a later date
    • downloaded files can be renamed and saved into an appropriate area established by you on your local computer (much easier to keep track of)
  • it is necessary to occasionally upload a file to put it in position to be restored into a course shell of your choosing
    • need space to be able to do this - manage backup file slots accordingly
  • the "Course functions" area of WebCT (accessed from the designer's "myWebCT" area) makes the maintenance and handling of backup files very easy - but - caution: not paying attention in this area can cause calamity (wrong backup restored into wrong course!)
• Course size and connection speed has an effect on upload/download times
  • the larger the course the longer the time required to upload or download the backup file
  • the slower the connection, the longer it takes to upload or download a backup file

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a. "Course functions" area

Selecting "Course functions" from their "myWebCT" area gets instructors and designers into an "overview" of all their courses that they are currently a designer in. This allows multiple courses to be worked on simultaneously in terms of creating backups, deleting backups and restoring backups into other courses. This is a handy way to work on all courses that are associated with a specific instructor/designer account.

Caution: Working in the "Course functions" area of any specific MSU WebCT instructor/designer account means the individual is working directly on the MSU WebCT server. Any actions that are performed are final - there is no undo when working in the "Course Functions" area.

MSU WebCT suggests that instructors and designers use caution (for instance, create backups and download them to a safe place on local computers or media) before performing major changes in the "Course functions" area. Making sure that reliable, up-to-date backups are available prior to major changes gives the instructor/designer recourse... if something goes awry, the instructor/designer can use the backups to get courses back to the point just prior to the mishap.

The WebCT Contextual Help feature for the "Course functions" works very well to lead you through the steps associated with using this area.

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b. incidentals
Why reset courses?

• Resetting courses is a way for instructor/designers to save design time when using a previously taught course in a new semester. If a good course has run previously, it can be reset and then revised further to accommodate changes deemed necessary by the instructor/designer.
• Resetting removes data that is associated with Student and Teaching Assistant accounts. The reset action brings the tool back to where it was before students and/or TA's began messing with it.

When to reset?

• This issue is fully instructor/designer preference. Typically, an instructor will create a backup on the final day of class for his or her records and then reset the course and make a backup of the reset version of the course. This backup (the reset version) is then used in conjunction with the restore process to carry course content over into a newly requested shell for a new semester delivery or into a practice course for revision.
• This isn't the only way to do it though. For instance, an instructor could create a backup on the final day of class for his or her records and then just use that backup and the restore options to reset the course while at the restore level. Or choose a restore option that leaves certain areas of the course intact (discussions and mail for instance) so as to retrieve certain parts of the course at his or her leisure... then go in and reset those areas while inside the course.

Why use the "automatic" reset functions to remove user data and content manually from within the course?

An instructor/designer should clean out the course of student and TA data before using the course again. Some will perform this function "manually" by going into each of the individual tools and deleting the data associated with the tool. This method works but is labor intensive and actually doesn't do as good a job as the automatic reset functions. For instance, in a tool like discussions, deleting the messages manually will not reset the message count. If a course ended up with 4000 messages and the messages are deleted manually, the next posted message will become message 4001. This may cause confusion to new students just entering the course.

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