Cengage Lab Tips

 

Tips For Completing Cengage Labs With a Perfect Score

This applies specifically to Laurel Ridge Community College (and probably to all other VCCS schools) classes that use Cengage / MindTap labs.

1. Complete the questions at the end of the lab first, then 
2. go back and do the lab.

The  way the lab system is currently set up, it does not record your score until you hit the final 'submit' button. You can exit out without having it adversely affect you. If you get the answer wrong, it will show you what the correct answer should have been along with an explanation normally. The answers can also normally be found throughout the lab just by glancing over the explanations. 

Take a screenshot or write down notes so you'll understand what the correct answer is and why you got them wrong, then exit out of the lab. Relaunch the lab and when it asks you if you want to continue with your in-progress attempt, just click No. 

Once you know the answers, go back and redo the questions first. Then go back and run the lab step by step as you normally would for a perfect score.

Why do it this way? First, all my classes that use Cengage/ MindTap VM Labs allow unlimited attempts. Who wants to do the whole thing over again, w/ screenshots, just to get a good score?  The way these questions are weighted, missing 1 will often give you an 80% on your score. Avoid this time trap/ headache by going to the end and doing the questions first, then go back to the beginning and complete the lab like normal.

Information good as of Fall 2024.

ITN261 Review

 

Course Review - ITN261 Network Attacks, Computer Crime and Hacking 

This is my review of Laurel Ridge Community Colleges ITN 261 class. It's conducted by Professor Rebecca Smith-Terry. I made the mistake of taking this class in a 7-week timeframe. Don't do this. It's hard to take everything in and really get to know and understand the information that's presented. Especially with 3 other classes to boot. If this had been the only class I took and could have devoted my whole attention to it in the short time frame, I would have been fine. I feel like I'm struggling to get the assignments all done and I KNOW I'm not retaining the information well. 

My poor review of this class should not be a reflection on the professor or the material. I think both are good. It's the time-frame that's killing me. I signed up in ignorance. Don't make the mistake I did in taking a full 3-credit class in half the normal time - unless you're super smart and retain things that are presented to you at a rapid-fire pace well, or it's the only class you're taking.

This class has a TON of hands on labs and projects to do. If you have yet to get your hands on a Kali Linux machine and try out many of the tools it has you are going to love this class! But be aware, you do ALL the labs at home on your own time.

My main and biggest criticism of the class (other than don't take it if it's 7 weeks) is that it was an in-person class on campus in the computer lab and we DIDN'T use the computers IN the lab. 

The in-person instruction is a lecture by the professor going over the Power Point slides we all had access to. There was some minor question and answer, but to me I feel like my time was wasted being required to go into the classroom to have the professor give a power point lecture. I assume this was how the Professor was instructed to conduct the class, but it seems like a wasted opportunity to me. It felt like a handholding session for children whom the Community College wanted to make sure actually attended a class.

Coming into class and actually doing labs and discussing them in-progress would have been a much more productive use of the space we were given and my time. Without that, I felt like I lost 8 hours a week in productivity.

(9/21/2024 update: the professor switched things up a little during Midterm week and allowed us to use the time in class to do labs. I hope this trend continues. I personally would have preferred to do the whole class online but, if I HAVE TO COME IN for class, I'd rather be doing labs.)

In conclusion- 

Do Not: 

• take this class as a 7-week class
• take this class as an in person/ in classroom class

Do:

• Take Professor Terry

I liked Professor Terry. She is responsive to emails and grades assignments quickly so you have feedback on how you're doing. Professor Terry is a machine when it comes to grading all the work we have in such a short time. I don't know how she keeps up, but she does.