Exporting the content of a course module
Do you want to export the content of a course module? You can! In this article, we’ll explain how to create the export and how to make the content readable afterwards.
The first step is to create an export of the module. To do this, go to the course modules page via the admin section and click on the course module you want to export.
Click the large actions button and then select Export content. Once the export is ready, you’ll receive it via email.
In the email you receive, click the top button to download the export directly:
You now have a .plv file on your computer. You can’t do much with this yet, so we’ll convert it to a .zip file. You simply do this by renaming the file and replacing .plv with .zip.
You’ll then get a notification asking if you want to convert the file to .zip. You can accept this.
Next, double-click the .zip file to unzip it. You’ll now find the following content:
A folder called media: here you’ll find all media from your course module, such as files and images.
A file called media_map.json: this contains the links to the online locations where the images are stored.
A file called course.json: this file contains all the textual content of the course module. You can read more about this file below.
As mentioned, this file contains the textual content of the course module. E-learning content consists of many different types of information (titles, texts, questions, answers, settings). A JSON file can neatly organise this structured data, including hierarchies (e.g. a module contains lessons, lessons contain sections, sections contain questions).
Because the JSON file contains more than just text – it also includes the structure – it can look a bit technical and complex. Luckily, there are several ways to display the content more clearly.
JSON viewer: You can use an online JSON viewer. Simply paste the entire contents of the file into it, and the viewer will turn it into a more readable format. It usually creates a kind of tree diagram, where you can expand sections to access the textual content. Just search for "JSON viewer" in Google to find various options.
ChatGPT: You can also use ChatGPT. Upload the JSON file and ask ChatGPT to convert it into plain text. An example prompt is:
I’m uploading a .json file containing e-learning content. Extract all the text and present it as plain text, without any markup, HTML, or special characters. Preserve the structure of the e-learning (such as chapters and sections), and make sure titles and headings remain clearly readable. Omit embedded media like images and videos, but do mention if there is a video or image reference. Ensure there is no editing or summarising. The output should be ready to paste into a Word document.
Note: For longer modules, you may need to use multiple prompts to extract all the content.
We hope this information helps you to export and read the content of your module(s). Still stuck? Feel free to contact us via the chat!
Exporting
The first step is to create an export of the module. To do this, go to the course modules page via the admin section and click on the course module you want to export.
Click the large actions button and then select Export content. Once the export is ready, you’ll receive it via email.
In the email you receive, click the top button to download the export directly:
Making your export readable
You now have a .plv file on your computer. You can’t do much with this yet, so we’ll convert it to a .zip file. You simply do this by renaming the file and replacing .plv with .zip.
You’ll then get a notification asking if you want to convert the file to .zip. You can accept this.
Next, double-click the .zip file to unzip it. You’ll now find the following content:
A folder called media: here you’ll find all media from your course module, such as files and images.
A file called media_map.json: this contains the links to the online locations where the images are stored.
A file called course.json: this file contains all the textual content of the course module. You can read more about this file below.
The course.json file
As mentioned, this file contains the textual content of the course module. E-learning content consists of many different types of information (titles, texts, questions, answers, settings). A JSON file can neatly organise this structured data, including hierarchies (e.g. a module contains lessons, lessons contain sections, sections contain questions).
Because the JSON file contains more than just text – it also includes the structure – it can look a bit technical and complex. Luckily, there are several ways to display the content more clearly.
JSON viewer: You can use an online JSON viewer. Simply paste the entire contents of the file into it, and the viewer will turn it into a more readable format. It usually creates a kind of tree diagram, where you can expand sections to access the textual content. Just search for "JSON viewer" in Google to find various options.
ChatGPT: You can also use ChatGPT. Upload the JSON file and ask ChatGPT to convert it into plain text. An example prompt is:
I’m uploading a .json file containing e-learning content. Extract all the text and present it as plain text, without any markup, HTML, or special characters. Preserve the structure of the e-learning (such as chapters and sections), and make sure titles and headings remain clearly readable. Omit embedded media like images and videos, but do mention if there is a video or image reference. Ensure there is no editing or summarising. The output should be ready to paste into a Word document.
Note: For longer modules, you may need to use multiple prompts to extract all the content.
Questions?
We hope this information helps you to export and read the content of your module(s). Still stuck? Feel free to contact us via the chat!
Updated on: 29/04/2025
Thank you!