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Question of the Week

Each week we'll use this space to share a question (or more!) that we've received about Quercus and other Academic Toolbox tools.

This week's question is: "I accidentally copied over the wrong course content into my new Quercus shell. Can I delete everything and start over?"

This Week's Faculty Question

Q:  Hi EdTech! I wanted to get a head start for my course for next term and was using the information on your guide (How do I copy a course from my Sandbox to a Course Shell?) to copy content from a previous course into the new course shell. But, I accidentally imported the wrong Quercus course into my new course shell. Is there a way to delete everything and start over? If I just import the correct course content will that overwrite the incorrect content?

A:  If you import the correct course content on top of the existing incorrect content, you may just end up with additional content in your course- the new course content will not simply overwrite everything you've already imported. Since you are working with a course for a future term, you have the option to reset your course and bring it back to its original empty state. However, we only recommend resetting a course if the course meets the following conditions:  

  • it is not published,
  • it has no student submissions, and
  • it contains no content you want to save.   

If you are certain that you meet the above criteria, you can follow the steps below to reset your course. However, to avoid any unintented consequences, it's best to first book a consultation with the EdTech Office before proceeding.

Screenshot of Quercus Course Settings with steps for resetting course content

  1. From the Course Navigation bar, select Settings.  
  2. From the sidebar, select  Reset Course Content.
  3. Confirm your selection.

Once you've reset your course, you can repeat the steps in our guide: How do I copy a course from my Sandbox to a Course Shell? to import the correct course.

NOTE: Resetting your course will not remove student enrollments...it will simply provide you with a clean slate and the opportunity to re-import content from the correct course.  For more information, review the following Canvas Instructor guide: How do I reset course content?

For additional assistance with course settings and importing or exporting course content, please contact the EdTech Office or book a consultation.


Have a Quercus (or EdTech) question? Please contact FASE's EdTech Office.