Deleting Sections in Blackboard Manager

Role: Administrators

Why delete a Section
Things to do before deleting your section
How to Delete Sections
Linked files
Breaking the link of a shared file
Restoring a Section back up containing linked files

Why delete a section in Blackboard

The Blackboard service is designed for the delivery of teaching. The service was not designed and is not resourced to be used as an archive facility. Each staff member is responsible for keeping backups of the materials they upload to Blackboard.

It is recommended to backup and keep an archive copy of sections that are no longer required for teaching.

Things to do before deleting your section

If a section is accidentally deleted it can be restored from this backup file. Please ensure you download and store the back up file, this file will be stored on the server for one week.

How to Delete Sections

You can delete Sections in Blackboard Manager.

1. From the my.monash portal, go to Blackboard Manager.

2. Navigate to the section you wish to delete.

3. Under the sub heading Section utilities you have the option to Delete this section.

An additional Section summary will also be visible.

4. Once selecting to delete a section you will be reminded of requirements prior to deletion and given the option to Confirm deletion or Cancel'.

Linked files

 In Blackboard, sections can make use of files that are located in other learning contexts by:

The file remains in the original folder e.g. template folder or repository, but is linked to the section that uses it.

Before deleting the original files and/or learning contexts or templates containing original files, it is required to create a local copy of the file in the section to prevent the broken links in the section content.

Breaking the link of a shared file or unsubscribing will create a copy of the file in the section.

When deleting a Section with linked files, it is best to create a local copy of the file in the Section.

Breaking the link of a shared file

Linked files are identified by the appearance of the icon

To place a local copy of the file in the Section

• Click on the Build tab.
• Click on File Manager  in the Designer Tools menu.
• To unsubscribe click the drop down menu next to the file name and select unsubscribe.  Alternatively if there is more than one file: check the boxes next to the files and click the Unsubscribe button at the bottom of the list of files.

Restoring a Section back up containing linked files

When the section is backed up, the linked files are copied into the section as part of the backup, but tagged as linked files. This means that the backup contains a copy of all files used in the section at the time of archiving.

Choose from the following options:

Option1: Restore the shared file structure as saved in the archive, if shared files exist

If this option is selected, links to files will be re-established. This means that if the original files have changed since the backup, upon restore, they will be updated.

Choose this option to use the latest version of those files as it re-creates the same file structure.
However, if the original files have since been deleted, moved or renamed, the links will be broken.

Option 2: Do not restore the shared file structure, restore files saved in the archive

If this option is selected, no existing links will be re-established. The exact contents of all files saved in the backup will be used to restore the section.

Choose this option if the original files no longer exist or if the file content is required to remain exactly as it was when the section was archived.