LAPT-pc (usually known just as LAPT ) is the workhorse for
students at UCL and Imperial, where it is installed on the College
computer systems and automatically records a lot of data that is
valuable for development and student progression. It is a Windows-based PC
program that needs to be downloaded and installed.
LAPT-lite is the browser-based new version that gives easy
access on any web-compatible computer or from a CD-ROM
AVAILABILITY & USE
LAPT is available to students at UCL in all ISD-managed PC clusters,
and in many departmental clusters (including Physiology, Anatomy,
Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Cruciform drylabs). Students can copy or
download the necessary files to study at home. More info on access
should be in your course booklets (including the booklet "Studying
Medicine at UCL"). Survey data suggest that more students study on
their
own computers with LAPT than on College computers. If you do this
it
is recommended you get a phone modem or other net connection if this is
possible, to enable you easily to update your files.
LAPT is mainly used by medical & science students for
biomedical topics and basic quantitative science ("numeracy"). The UCL
Academic Committee and the Education & Professional
Development Unit ( EPD )
encourage
other departments to consider use of LAPT within their teaching
programmes, either alone or in conjunction
with WebCT. Workshops will be arranged to assist new users (Contact
cusplap@ucl.ac.uk).
Other universities and medical schools may freely use the LAPT
system if they generate and share material.
LAPT
Access within UCL - [ more info for UCL students, click here ]
To use LAPT-pc as a student using College or Hall clusters or a home PC
(NB not a MAC or UNIX cluster), see the separate short extra info page . Separate facilities
are
also available at some times in the Departments of Anatomy,
Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Physiology. If you have problems
or
suggestions about improving the access arrangements, please discuss
these at your departmental staff-student meetings. If they relate
specifically to issues concerning LAPT, e-mail to cusplap@ucl.ac.uk
Staff Access from Office Desktops within UCL
- If you use Staff WTS (on a PC or a MAC)
the LAPT
icon is under Applications - Software A-N .
- With a PC connected to the Physiology-Server,
find
the icon "W:\Teaching\Teaching from Physiol Server" and drag it
onto your desktop. It gives direct access to departmental CAL
software as well as to LAPT on the main UCL server.
- An alternative (less good - because you may find yourself
looking
at out-of-date files) is to install LAPT locally on your hard
drive and run it from there, as if you were working at home (see below).
LAPT
Access within Imperial College [ more info : click here ]
The Imperial College Medical School server has been running LAPT since
Dec '98. Student access at all medical sites should be available via an
icon under TEACHING . Staff can get the icon for running LAPT
onto their desktop (under NT4 or Win95) as follows. Do START-FIND-COMPUTER-csy
(or csy.sk.med.ic.ac.uk ), then double click on the icon,
double
click on LAPT, and drag the icon Start-LAPT as a
shortcut
to your desktop. Under Win95 you may need to edit the Properties of the
link to "csy" rather than "csy.sk.med.ic.ac.uk" both on the command
line
and under "Change Icon". In case of problems, contact bms-help@ic.ac.uk .
Downloading LAPT to run locally on
your desktop or home machine
This is about getting files to put on your own hard disk to run
LAPT. You have to do this if your computer cannot attach areas on the
College file-server as network drives. Once you have done this, LAPT
allows you to check and update your local files automatically via the
network, if you have network access.
Note that if you run LAPT locally on your desktop other than on a
College cluster machine, your comments and scores will not be recorded
in College.
PASSWORD ACCESS. You can access a selection of LAPT
demonstration files without a password. For full access to your College
site you need a password. This is
displayed when you start running LAPT on your College system. It may also be in your
course documentation. UCL students can get the password (with a valid
UCL userid) by Clicking Here .
It may be necessary to change the password from time to time. It is
normally stored on your computer after you enter it the first time.
To download LAPT first time, do one of two things:
- If you have an internet connection on your PC computer.
Download two files from here. Do this by RIGHT_CLICKING on
them and then doing "Save Link As.." or equivalent, to save them in the
same folder on your computer. If you use a Left Click,
then the files may end up in different places, depending on your
browser
configuration. First, get and save the file LPNZIP.TMP
(about 150kB **). Next, save (in the same folder) the file MAKELAPT.EXE
(about 30 kB). Note the name of the folder (for example, it might be
C:\TEMP) Now run the file MAKELAPT.EXE. [If the file is in
C:\TEMP you can do 'Start' - 'Run' - C:\TEMP\MAKELAPT.EXE, or find it
in
Explorer and double click on it.] This should create a
folder \LPRUN for LAPT on a hard drive that you choose (usually
C:), and create a LAPT icon on your desktop. When you
first use this icon it will run a program (LPNET.EXE) that enables you
to install the rest of the current LAPT files. Make sure you keep
your modem connection live while you do this, and make sure you install
your chosen exercises as well as the system (SYS.ZIP).. Once
the
system is installed, the icon on your desktop will run the main LA PT
program (LAPT_W.EXE). You can add more exercises and update them
at any time later, by using the Update / Install
facility
at the top of the LAPT_W window, which reloads the LPNET installation
program. Click here to see more info
(below) on installing and updating exercises .
** NB the name of this file has been changed (3/3/03) from
LPNZIP.EXE, which is no longer available for download.
- If you don't have an internet connection on your PC computer
. Bring two or more empty 3.5in or ZIP disks to College and run LAPT at College . Then use the Menu
facility
"Copy to Disk", and choose the files you want. When you get them home,
put them in your floppy drive (usually A:) and run A:\install.exe with
each disk. Two 1.4 MB disks will hold the system and several sets
of exercises, and you can always add to your installation or update it
later with floppy disks or (if you acquire an internet connection)
using
the built-in updating options within LAPT. Don't use
out-of-date disks borrowed from other students. There may have been
important updates since they were created.
During this procedure you can select the drive on which to install
LAPT (usually C:). Usually an icon will be created on your
desktop to run LAPT - if not, then make this by right-clicking on your desktop,
and entering the path for the file LAPT.EXE, for example
C:\LPRUN\LAPT.EXE.
If you can't make these procedures work and don't understand why
not, please make notes of exactly what you have done and what error
messages, if any, you have encountered. Then consult the frequently asked questions, and if still in
trouble, email your notes and problems to cusplap@ucl.ac.uk . Prompt clear
full emails save time!
Getting modem access to the internet. If you have a PC
at home, and if you have a phone line, you can buy a modem that will
let
you connect to the net. You need an arrangement with an internet
service
provider as well. The IS Helpdesk at UCL will help you. Lots of service
providers offer free connections, where you only pay for the phone
calls. If you live in a Hall with a net connection in your room, you
need a different kind of card in your computer. Consult the IS
Helpdesk.
If you use a modem, don't stay connected all the time you are
working on LAPT : it simply generates a pointless phone bill!
LAPT only needs to be connected when you update your files (perhaps
every few weeks) or get the latest information from one of LAPT's
servers. You don't need a modem while you are working with LAPT.
Depending on your software, you may need to open the connection before
using LAPT's updating and installation facilities and you may need to
close it after you have finished updating your files. On some machines
LAPT will do this automatically. NB this applies to e-mail too.
For e-mail, you only need a brief connection to send and receive your
e-mail unless you use something like hotmail. Prepare your outgoing
mail
before you open the connection to save money.
Note that if you use a World-Wide-Web browser for teaching
resources located on Web sites, you may need a continuous modem
connection while you study. Be aware of what you are doing and the
differences between how different systems work.
INSTALLING and UPDATING LAPT exercises on
your desktop or home machine
In College or on a UCL cluster machine the files you access will
always be a full set, kept up-to-date with any changes. At home
or
on your desk, you need to install whatever exercises you need, and keep
them uptodate. When you first install the LAPT "System" (SYS)
this
just installs the programs, and you need to choose the exercises you
want and install them as well. If you get a message saying
a
file cannot be found, you probably need to install or update the
relevant topic. For example if the message says :
LAPT can't find C:\lprun\math\med1.lpt (or .lpd). You
may need to install the topic (shown before the last \)
you must use LAPT's update/ install facility to install "MATH"
(or if you don't have a net connection you could bring a floppy disk or
zip disk to college and use the "Copy to disk" menu option when you run
LAPT in College, to get the up-to-date MATH topic).
The "Update/ Install" option is on LAPT's menu at the top of
the LAPT_W window all the time. This opens a window
called LPNET
and shows you what have and haven't already installed. You can
select topics one at a time (showing summary infomation about what they
include) and you can then use the INSTALL button to download
and
install them or (if you already have the topic but it is shown as being
older than the copy on the server) you can use the UPDATE
button
to get just the things that are new. The "SUMMARY" button
quickly
updates just the info about the topics available on the server and new
updates.
TO USE LPNET you must have your internet modem connection
running. Depending on your system you may have an icon to open
your modem connection, or you may need to use My Computer - Dial-up
Networking. Occasionally people aren't familiar with this because
their browser and email software may always automatically open the
network phone-line connection for you. If in doubt, try having
both your browser and LPNET window open while doing the
downloading. NB If in doubt - check if your phone line is giving
an ordinary dialtone (rather than a whistle) when you lift the handset.
If you get a dialtone, the modem is not connected.
Don't leave your modem connection running when you are working
with LAPT exercises - it's not needed and will just run up a phone bill.
PROBLEMS: consult the frequently
asked questions,
STAFF INFORMATION
Summary of principal LAPT-pc Program Elements:
- LAPT_W.EXE A Windows program adapted from DOS-LAPT with
added features and capable of running all the original DOS-LAPT files.
Use this if you want to copy or update files and if you like to jump
back and forth between Windows. Both systems are available on the UCL
network and both are downloaded together. The main program file is
called LAPT_W.EXE.
- LPNET.EXE The program that LAPT uses (if you have an
internet connection) to install and update new files over the net. You
get access to this through the menu option File - Updating in
LAPT_W
- LPLAUNCH.EXE The program that both DOS-LAPT and LAPT_W use
to launch Windows applications. Written by Dr. K. Boone.
- LPVIEW.EXE A useful viewer for selectively examining
text files, such as the LAPT usage files. Lines with particular strings
(for example filenames or userid's) can be either highlighted or made
to
be the only ones shown.
- LAPSUM A program for authors, to create a summary
(.LPS)
file from a LAPT exercise (.LPT) file, and to insert S & Q numbers
into the .LPT file. For example, the command LAPSUM MYFILE.LPT
creates MYFILE.LPS (a summary with numbers) and MYFILE.LPZ,
which includes the numbers and can can replace the original file.
LAPSUM picks up a number of file errors and complains.
- DOS-LAPT (LAPTT.EXE) The veteran program. If launched
from
WINDOWS, it can itself launch any type of other WINDOWS program, using
LPLAUNCH (see above). DOS-LAPT is pretty obsolete, but the clear bold
lettering on a black background is preferred by some students. It
currently runs 90% of LAPT teaching material fine, with undemanding
hardware specs.
For further information consult Manual II
(system
programs).
RELATED LINKS
- Computers in Teaching
Initiative (CTI) Home Page. A useful starting point for UK
computer-based teaching initiatives.
- Computer assisted
assessment
Centre Home Page. Info about projects on CAA.
- OMNI: Organising Medical
Networked Information Access point for biomedical internet
resources.
- TACO
A web-based assessment system based in Computer Science at UCL,
incorporating some features of LAPT. This does not currently have
material for UCL medical coursework on it. Developed by Angela Sasse
& colleagues.
- DICT An
experimental web-based implementation of an online dictionary,
including much of the LAPT glossary material in a more sophisticated
presentation. Developed by Kevin Boone.
- GeomathsWeb-based
maths teaching for Geology (& other) students at UCL .
LAPT Usage Data
& COMMENTS on questions
LAPT keeps records of several types. Each type appears in a file with a
characteristic filename, either on your local system (in a directory
USE1 under your installation directory (e.g. \LPRUN\USE1), or on the
UCL
file-server for LAPT. The usage area on the file-server is attached at
UCL as drive O: . The files initially are stored in one of a set of
directories O:\USE1, O:\USE2, etc. Simultaneous users automatically
reserve their own one of these directories during a session.
Eventually,
all the data is collated into a single directory O:\USE. Archived usage
data is in subdirectories of this: O:\USE\USE97-8, etc.
Staff can access the usage files on drive O: only if they are
using one of the direct methods for accessing LAPT on the College
server
(see above). If you want to access the files without a direct
connection, please contact cusplap@ucl.ac.uk
Usage files use comma separated values, and can be loaded into a
spreadsheet by choosing "Delimited" and "Comma" as load options. It is
easy then to sort the data, e.g. by date, filename, user, etc. Selected
parts can also be viewed with the program LPVIEW.EXE which is located
in
the relevant directories. Type the input filename on the command line -
e.g. LPVIEW REPORT.LUR . Contact cusplap@ucl.ac.uk if you need help
running this rather crude but useful program!
- <exercise_name>.LUU There is one such file for
each
exercise in use, i.e. for each file <exercise_name>.LPT or
<exercise_ name>.LPD. Each line in the file relates to a
particular question and gives the relevant header and question numbers,
then the number of times the question has been seen and answered
correctly and incorrectly at each confidence level, etc. This file does
not identify which users have answered the questions.
- REPORT.LUR This contains a single line for each session
in
which a particular student has worked on an exercise file. The exercise
filename, date, time, userid, number of questions seen, % correct at
different confidence levels, etc. are recorded. There is no information
about the specific questions seen within the exercise. A security code
at the end of the line makes it possible to identify (with the help of
a
program run by the administrator) whether data in the report line has
been tampered with.
- COMMENT.LUR Each comment volunteered by a student
generates one or more lines in this file, tagged with the sequence
numbers associated with the question / information the student has just
viewed. Student comments are very helpful in identifying bad questions
or poor explanations. The answer the student has given to the relevant
question is recorded automatically with the comment, since
mis-spellings
etc may be of the essence when a student feels aggrieved!
- COMAUTO.LUR Lines are automatically recorded whenever a
student enters a free-format answer at high confidence that is marked
wrong. This helps to identify misconceptions and misinterpretations of
questions even when the students do not enter comments. Lines are not
recorded for T/F questions, since the data in .LUU files includes all
relevant information for these.
- SYSERR.LUR records failures of LAPT to find files or
index
entries specified in an exercise. Entries are a help in debugging. They
may occur on a local installation if options have been selected for
files that have not been installed. If they occur on the central
system,
they indicate errors somewhere in the files.
- <log_name>.LUR These are logging records,
recording
that a student has executed a line in an exercise specifiying that an
entry should be logged under this log_name. This enables checks to be
kept on how often particular actions are taken (e.g. copying files,
consulting a glossary, etc.).
LABVIEW Dynamic Graph Exercises
These include simulations to assist learning of some basic topics in
physiology, maths & physics. You can download and expand the files
from www.ucl.ac.uk/lapt/LABVIEW.ZIP
. Some schedules for associated exercises are available at www.ucl.ac.uk/lapt/lapt_med.htm
. You can (at UCL) access the LABVIEW modules within LAPT-pc on WTS,
under Applications, Teaching Software, and go to Exercises - Labview,
or you can install them yourself as one of the modules of
LAPT-pc. The exercises are
written with LABVIEW (National Instruments), for which the runtime
module is distributed free subject to conditions of use (www.ni.com ).
This
and most links on this site are "Bobby Approved" for accessibility and
use without image display.
Go to LAPT Home Page Queries
/ Problems: e-mail to cusplap@ucl.ac.uk
