How do I use/navigate Gateway?
How do I use/navigate Gateway?
How do I use/navigate Gateway?
Along with the hands-on materials in your Carolina Distance Learning lab kit, you will also receive access to lab manuals through Carolina’s Online Gateway. These manuals provide a one-stop resource for reviewing background information, obtaining safety guidelines and procedures, and collecting and entering data.
Gateway can be used on any device or browser. However, you will get the best fit if you use a laptop or desktop in full screen mode. For most browsers, use F11 to enable and disable full screen mode.
To use the resource, first navigate to the assignment. This will either be through a link in your LMS or through the Carolina Science Online platform depending on how your instructor has set up the tools. Follow your instructor’s directions for accessing the resource.
If the resource does not open directly from your link, click on the assignment name on your CSO home page and access the resource.
When the resource is loaded, you will see the title page.
You can now navigate the resource. Click the next button to move forward. You can also click on the 3 lines in the top left corner to use the table of contents to move to a specific section.
The table of contents not only allows you to navigate between sections, but also tracks your progress so you can see which sections you have completed. Notice that some sections are disabled. You must view the Pre-lab sections in their entirety AND pass the pre-lab assessment before unlocking the procedures for each lab manual. The lab notebook is also locked until the pre-lab has been passed.
If you have difficulty reading the text on your laptop or desktop, you can increase the font size using the text zoom tool. The glossary provides definitions for terms throughout the lab manual. Most of these terms are found in the Background section and are identified in bold. The Resources menu provides quick access to figures, tables, equations, and videos from anywhere in the manual.
To move through the resource, use the navigation buttons in the bottom right of the screen: Next to move forward and Previous to move backward. At times, the Next button may be disabled. This means you must complete an action on the current page before you can continue. For instance, the knowledge check questions must be answered before you can continue. Knowledge check questions are informal multiple-choice questions that appear in the Background section to help you evaluate your understanding of the material. Although your performance on these questions is not reported to your instructor, these questions provide an opportunity to reflect on your comprehension. If you do not answer the question correctly, you can either attempt the same question again OR review with a hint before answering a different, but related question. You have 2 attempts with each question.
Any text that is underlined and bold, such as a glossary term, is a link that will allow you to explore it further when clicked. If you are not sure what features are available to you on a page, use the information icon as a reminder.
Gateway resources are designed to increase your confidence before you start performing an experiment. The experimental design diagram is a flow chart illustrating the overall process of completing each activity in the investigation. Remember, the protocols themselves for these activities are only available once the pre-lab is complete.
The last sections of the pre-lab are Materials, Safety, and the pre-lab assessment. Make sure you select each tab in the materials section to obtain the necessary materials before continuing. The next button is disabled until this action is complete.
The pre-lab assessment must be completed to unlock the activity protocols and the lab notebook. This assessment consists of multiple-choice or matching questions that evaluate your understanding of the concepts, goals, safety hazards, and materials of the investigation. To complete the assessment, you must score 100%. You may return to the pre-lab sections to study before each attempt, of which you have an unlimited number. After each attempt, a results page will appear describing whether you have passed the assessment or not. Only questions you answered incorrectly in your last attempt will be presented in your next attempt.
After passing the pre-assessment, the activity protocols and lab notebook are unlocked, and you can start performing the experiments in the investigation.
The steps in each protocol come with a checklist feature, so you can mark the steps as you complete them. This is an optional feature and does not impact your progress in the resource.
When you are ready to record your data, the lab notebook is built into the Gateway resource. After recording your name, you can begin filling in data tables, uploading photos, and answering post-lab questions. This notebook will automatically save your work, so you can revisit the notebook to continue recording data at any point during the investigation.
When you are finished with your notebook and the investigation activities, follow your instructor’s directions as to how to submit your lab for grading. Depending on their directions, you may be asked to either keep your work as-is in the notebook, or download a PDF of your lab notebook for submission through your distance learning course.
To download a PDF, navigate to the last page of the lab notebook and click the print button. This will allow you to save the notebook as a PDF which can then be uploaded to an assignment created by your instructor. We recommend that you always save your notebook as a PDF for future reference even if it does not need to be submitted.
After completing and closing the notebook, make sure to navigate to the last page of the resource which says “Completion”. If you do not go to this page, your scores on the pre-lab assessment may not be sent back to your instructor.
