Overview
Templates can be easily created when creating any course from scratch by checking the 'template' check box during that creation process (See Article). Other courses can be converted to templates with a similar process.
Navigate to that course's settings tab as seen below, and then toggle the template option to on.
Click the 'Save' button in that 'Basics' area of the settings.
Toggle Course to a template
Template button toggled on (shows as blue)
Cloning from a Template + Content Linking
With one click, template cloning will copy the selected template and create a new course with the same elements, content, and settings, excluding step notifications and step visibility settings. Here are some other important elements of templates and cloning:
Templates differ from regular course cloning in that Templates also allow content linking.
That means that updating any content blocks in the template will update the blocks in this clone (more on this below).
When creating a clone, a prompt will enable an admin/editor to clone (copy) the roles, like editors and instructors, for that course.
Note: Templates cannot have course participants.
Steps to complete course cloning:
Go to the 'settings' tab in any course
Click the 'Clone button'
The cloning 'modal window' will pop
Edit the course name or enter a new name for the course
Select the group where to place the clone
If desired, copy editors/instructors from the template, check the corresponding boxes (Copy editors/Copy instructors/ Copy supporters)
It is important to check or check content linking.
When the 'Link content' box is checked, the template content changes will be reflected in the clone
After choosing the desired settings, click the 'CLONE COURSE' button
Course Settings Page with 'Clone' Button
Cloning Modal Window
After the clone is created, it will automatically navigate to the clone's edit course page.
To view the clone's template, simply click on the icon shown in the screenshot below.
Viewing Templates in the Dashboard
Select 'templates' in the 'home' dashboard status filter as seen below.
Content Linking
In any template or clone, quickly mark content blocks as linked or editable (unlinked).
Link or Unlink any single cloned content block from the template, within the cloned course.
Editable (unlinked) Content Blocks:
Once unlinked, a content block becomes editable within the clone, and it will no longer receive updates from the template.
Make any desired changes to these “editable” (un-linked) content blocks in the template, and they too will not affect the course clones that have been unlinked.
Linked Icon
Unlinked Icon
Linked Steps and Content Blocks:
Any changes made to content blocks in the template will automatically appear in all clones after changes are saved.
These linked blocks are only editable in the course clones if they are unlinked.
If a step is added in a template, it will be added to any clone.
If a step is removed from a template, it will be removed from any cloned copies.
If a new content block is added to a template, it will be added to the course clones when content linked to the template is checked.
If a content block is removed from a template that is marked as “linked”, it will be removed from all the course clones it is linked to.
For any blocks that are unlinked, the content linking icon can be clicked on that block to re-link it. Its content will then be overwritten from the template.
Quickly unlink or re-link an entire clone at once.
Navigate to the 'Settings' tab in a clone
Uncheck the 'Content Linked to Template' box, it will no longer receive any updates from the template. If you check that box to link it, it will begin to receive any updates from the template again. Any existing content will not be replaced until there is an update from the template.
