LON-CAPA logo Getting Started with LON-CAPA

Contents

  1. Login
  2. Remote Control and Menu Mode
  3. Selecting your course
  4. Navigating your course
  5. Answering homework questions
  6. Printing your assignment to a PDF file
  7. Submitting a discussion post, sending feedback
  8. Other LON-CAPA tools available to students
  9. Enabling your browser for Remote Control functionality
  10. Additional help
Overview of LON-CAPA The overview page includes links to pages describing the philosophy and history of LON-CAPA.

Login

Point your browser to http://nplq1.phyast.pitt.edu and log in with the user id and password your instructor has provided you. If your browser is set to allow pop-ups, javascript, and cookies, a remote control will open. Otherwise, you will have to use the LON-CAPA menus.

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Remote Control and Menu Mode

To change from to the menu mode, click the 'x' in the upper right hand corner of your remote. If you are in menu-mode and your browser is configured properly, you can launch the remote control by clicking the 'launch remote control' link on top of any page in LON-CAPA. There is information at the bottom of this page about changing your browser settings so you can use the remote control.

There are two types of menus in menu mode. The Inline Menu is the menu on top of every page while you are in the LON-CAPA system. The other menu is the Main Menuwhich you can access by clicking the Main Menu link in the Inline Menu.

With Remote ControlMenu Mode with a Screen Showing the Inline Menu
Login with remote login with menu mode enabled
Clicking on the Main Menu link on the Inline Menu will bring you to a menu where you can access other LON-CAPA functions, such as switching between courses, and changing preferences. Using the menu on a problem
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Selecting your course

With Remote ControlMenu Mode
(Without Remote Control)
Selecting course with remote Selecting course with menu mode enabled
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Navigating your course

Navigating the assignment with the remote control

The NAV button returns you to the Navigate Course Contents screen. You can go back and forth between problems in an assignment with the left and right buttons on the remote control. Remote control window Remote control window

Navigating the assignment in menu mode

The Navigate Contents link returns you to the Navigate Course Contents screen. You can go back and forth between problems in an assignment with the backward and forward links. Using the menu on a problem

Navigation Screen

In the Navigate Course Contents window, click on a folder.

 Navigate Course Content - Select folder

The folder is now expanded. Select the resource you want to go to by clicking on its name. Note the due dates displayed next to the problem names. All answers must be submitted before that time. You can use this screen to see your progress. A green check mark will appear next to all problems that you got correct and an orange X will appear next to all problems that you got incorrect after using all of your tries.

You can log in as many times as necessary before the due date to work on your assignment.

 Navigate Course Content window - Select Resource
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Answering homework questions

If you have filled out forms on the web, you can probably figure out how to submit the answer to your homework problems. Some problems need some explanation though.
Answer TypeExample
Numerical Answer in Scientific Notation Enter: 1.34E-5
for 1.34×10-5
Numerical Answer with a Unit Enter: 2.45 m/s
Formula Response Enter: 3*sin(x)+4/2*y
for:  
3sin(x) +    4 
 2 		   y
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Printing your assignment to a PDF file

Go to any problem in your current assignment and click either PRT on the remote control or the link prepare printout. You will be brought to a print menu. Select the option "Problem(s) from [your assignment]"and then click Next. Print Menu
Select the problems you wish to print and then select Next again. You will be given a pdf document that you can print out.
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Submitting a discussion post, sending feedback

To discuss a homework problem with other students, click FDBK on the Remote Control or Inline Menu, select "Contribution to course discussion of resource" or "Anonymous contribution to course discussion of resource (name only visible to course faculty)" and type in your discussion comments in the text box. When you are done, click the Send button.
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Other LON-CAPA tools available to students

Remote Control ButtonMenu LocationFunctionality
COURSESMain MenuClicking this button brings you to your list of LON-CAPA courses and you can switch between courses.
DOCSMain MenuClicking this button brings you to the Main Menu Screen
CATInline MenuClicking this button opens a small window where you can view the current resource's catalog information.
EVALInline MenuClicking on this button opens a small window where you can fill out a survey and evaluate the current resource.
SBKMNot AvailableClicking on this button submits the current resource you are viewing as a LON-CAPA bookmark.
VBKMMain MenuClicking on this button opens a small window where you can view your bookmarks and optionally select a bookmark.
ANOTNot AvailableClicking on this bookmark opens a small window where you save notes on the current resource. If you already have notes saved, then you will be able to view and edit those notes.
CLDRMain MenuClicking on this button brings you to the Calendar Screen. All calendar entries from all of your instructors will appear on the same calendar to help you keep track of things.
COMMain MenuClicking on this button brings you to LON-CAPA's internal email system.
CHATMain MenuClicking on this button opens up a new chat window where you can chat with other students and instructors in your course who happen to have their chat window open.
SRCHMain MenuClicking on this window brings you to a LON-CAPA search engine where you can search the material in your course.
PREFMain MenuClicking on this button brings you to your Preferences Screen. You can give yourself a nickname, a screen name, create an internal LON-CAPA homepage, set message notification to your email address, and change the color scheme.
EXITMain MenuExits LON-CAPA
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Enabling your browser to for remote control functionality

The LON-CAPA remote control requires that you allow pop-up windows, cookies, and javascript (activescript for some IE browsers). Most browsers have preferences or options that you can access from the top of the window to make these changes. For IE 6.0 on Windows ME, follow the instructions below:

  1. Click Tool and select Internet Options.
  2. Click the Privacy tag and change your settings to Medium-High or lower.
  3. Click the Security tag and change your settings to Medium or lower.
  4. Close your browser and re-open it.
For Netscape 6.0 or Mozilla, you would follow the steps below:
  1. Click Edit then preferences.
  2. Click the + near Advanced.
  3. Click Scripts and Plugins.
  4. Check Enable Javascript for Navigator near the top.
  5. Check the box near Read Cookies to allow Cookies.
  6. Close and re-open your web browser.

If you have a different browser and/or operating system, you may need to contact a tech savy friend to help you. LON-CAPA is designed to work with Internet Explorer, Netscape, and Mozilla on Windows, Macintosh, and Linux. However, LON-CAPA will likely work with other browsers and operating systems. In some cases, such as the Opera browser, only the Menu Mode will work and you will not be able to use the Remote Control.

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Additional help

If you still have problems logging into LON-CAPA or have trouble editing your browser's options, please visit the LON-CAPA student FAQ page.

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Visit the LON-CAPA Project Homepage
Funded by the National Science Foundation Information Technology Research