Products

Frequently asked questions

Resources and licensing

What subjects do you cover?

We cover a broad range of topics across chemical and bioscience disciplines. For more information explore our product pages. We are passionate about science and technology and we're always keen to take on new and exciting challenges. If you have an idea for something that’s not already in the library then we welcome suggestions.

How do I license LabSims for use on my course?

If you are looking to integrate the LabSims onto your own VLE/LMS to use with your entire department, faculty or institution, you can get a license through our LearnSci Connect access. You can choose if you want to licence our chemistry LabSims, our bioscience LabSims or both. Once licensed, our support team will take you through the short integration process. If you don’t have your own VLE/LMS or would prefer to access a specific set of LabSims you can purchase a license for LabSim bundles on our LearnSci Direct platform. Once licensed, you will be provided with details of how to log onto our platform. Our Connect partners can also add access to our LearnSci Direct platform.

How do I license Smart Worksheets for use on my course?

Smart Worksheets can be licensed through our Connect or Direct access options. Connect allows you to fully integrate the worksheets onto your VLE/LMS and see the grades in your VLE/LMS grade centre. Direct provides you with an easy way to set up our Smart Worksheets on our own platform and monitor your student progress and results. We provide an extensive collection of pre-existing, ready-to-use Smart Worksheet activities to support students in developing skills in performing complex calculations and data analysis. Get in touch to discuss which worksheets you would like to use.

What is included in the price?

Connect and Direct plans include access to support and training resources, assessment options with automated grading, and tools to curate your own quizzes from any combination of LabSims and Smart Worksheets that you have licensed. Connect plans also include unlimited access to all of the LabSims in each library you license along with any new LabSims we add. There are currently 120+ LabSims across our libraries and dozens of additional video resources and interactive guides you can use. Direct plans include unlimited use of the resources that have been licensed for an agreed number of users.

How long is the licence for?

Our standard licence is for 12 months. Get in touch to discuss your course requirements.

Do prices vary depending on the country?

Regional pricing may be available. Please get in touch to speak with us about your requirements.

How many students and instructors can access?

LearnSci Connect fully integrates with your existing VLE/LMS and gives access for all instructors and students within your institution. Our direct platform offer flexible access and pricing for different numbers of students and instructors on our platform.

Will data be secure?

We take data security seriously and comply with rigorous data security standards, including GDPR. We are in the process of gaining ISO27001 certification (the global standard for information security management systems).

Can I trial the resources before making a decision?

Yes, of course. We can provide access for you and your colleagues to review the resources online. Book a demo and trial access here.

Will I need to change my practicals in order to use the LabSims and Smart Worksheets?

No. The LabSims and Smart Worksheets are designed to enhance, not replace your current teaching approach. Contact our experienced team to learn more.

Can we include our own resources (such as video demonstrations) alongside your resources?

Using LearnSci Connect our resources are embedded in your own learning platform alongside any videos or other resources that you have already developed.

Staff and student access

How do staff and students access the resources?

LearnSci Connect: The resources can be accessed on your institutional VLE/LMS on any of the modern browsers and devices that it supports. Students do not need a separate login and can access content on and off campus.

LearnSci Direct: You and your students will log in to our platform. This can be linked up to your institutional logins for Single Sign-On if preferred.

Do your resources meet accessibility guidelines?

Our goal is for our learning resources to achieve W3C WCAG 2.0 AA standards for accessibility. Inclusivity and consideration of the needs of all students is embedded in the culture of our company and accessibility consideration is included in the workflows for designing, developing and testing our learning resources. We have a policy of continuous improvement across all aspects of the business and regularly review accessibility criteria to improve the learning experience for all users.

Our resources have the following features which address the main sections of the standard, including:

Perceivable - No 2D scrolling, no text in images, semantic HTML, alt text, text resize, non-reliance on colour to transfer meaning, effective contrast, adaptable orientation.
Operable - No flashing content, no time-limited content, keyboard navigation, assistive technology (screen reader).
Understandable - Readable, Predictable UI, consistent navigation, consistent identification.
Robust - Appropriate and accurate HTML, UI components have name, role, value.
Conformance - Regular reviews against standards and best practices.

Can I track student progress?

Yes, details of students' marks, including resources accessed, attempts and grades can be tracked and stored. In the case of LearnSci Connect these can be viewed in your own VLE/LMS gradebook. Students can review their attempts and staff can check and evaluate progress at all times.

Set-up and support

What is Single Sign-On used on LearnSci Direct?

You will probably be familiar with the idea that you can log in to online services using your account on Google, Apple or indeed your institution. Often access to online articles and journals in your library that are hosted by publishers will provide this sort of access. This is commonly referred to as Single Sign-On (SSO). We are able to arrange for SSO access to our platform using your institution account, and this can be arranged with your IdP manager (usually part of library services).

What is the LTI standard used on LearnSci Connect?

Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) is an industry standard created by the IMS Global Learning Consortium. Its primary purpose is to connect learning platforms and external service tools in a standard, secure and reliable way. The reasoning behind this is that we can is supported by all of the major platforms including Blackboard, Moodle, Brightspace, Canvas and Sakai.

What support do you provide?

We’re fully committed to providing the highest levels of support and will work with you every step of the way to make your course a success. During the set-up process our teams will provide as much help as you need to ensure that your course resources work seamlessly for staff and students. We’ll also provide a fast, personal on-going support service throughout the year, whenever you need it.

What level of involvement is required from our teaching and IT staff?

Our partner support teams can take the hard work out of setting up your course, however we’ll need your input along the way to choose resources, define assessments, and agree grading rules. For LearnSci Connect subscriptions your platform administration service will also need to set us up on your VLE/LMS as an LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) learning resource provider or for LearnSci Direct we can liaise with your IdP manager to set up Single Sign-On.

How are the resources set up on LearnSci Connect?

The resources are hosted on our secure servers and accessed by staff and students on your institutional VLE/LMS using their normal logins via an LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) link. We will provide you with a link for each resource which can be used to embed the resource into your course. When students select the link, the VLE/LMS seamlessly launches the content. Students work through the activities and any associated grades are passed to your VLE/LMS gradebook.

Interested in LabSims or Smart Worksheets?

Pricing & Demo