For the Applied Data Science Applied AI Labs, accessing a Project will require the launch of your own instance of a Jupyter notebook (Virtual Machine).
In the Master's program there are instances where Lesson Notes are also in these Virtual Machines. As you read through the Lesson, run code cells, and eventually edit or write your own code, you will submit cells sequentially.
No installation required:
In order to access and use the Virtual Machine you will be provided the options to launch directly from the learning platform. The Virtual Machine comes with all the software you need to complete your work. You won't need to worry about installing software on your computer.
Real-time feedback:
In the Labs, whenever you submit a graded task, you'll receive instant feedback on your work. That way, you'll quickly know when you're on the right track or when you need to make corrections.
Expand the sections below for more information on each of these topics:
Start the Project, make a notebook active
Start the Project, make a notebook active
Applied AI Lab & MScFE Financial Data Course Only
To make the notebook active, click on the Start Project button.
Watch this Tutorial to learn how to run the code in the Notebook.
Applied Data Science Lab & MScFE courses (except the Financial Data course)
Before you dive in, make sure to watch the Virtual Machine Orientation video to learn how to navigate in the learning environment.
To start, click on "Open Your Virtual Machine" and the system will launch the Notebook.
Refreshing a Virtual Machine (restarting the notebook)
Refreshing a Virtual Machine (restarting the notebook)
For courses that are using Virtual Machines, a student can refresh the VM / notebooks without needing administrator support.
Here are the steps to do so:
Applied Data Science Lab & General Master's Program
Should you experience issues with the Virtual Machine, try the suggestions below to refresh the VM:
Log out of the learning platform and log back in.
Confirm your web browser is not due for an update. If needed, update the browser.
Clear the cache and cookies on your current web browser, and refresh the page.
Try accessing the platform from an alternative web browser (ie. Chrome, Safari, Edge, etc.) we recommend Google Chrome.
MScFE Financial Data Course Only
Students in the MScFE Financial Data course are using a newer version of the VM than those in later courses.
Click the menu in the top left and select Restart Project. This will clear any saved progress and will reload the most recent version of the project saved by their instructor.
Applied AI Lab
Prior to launching a project, users can choose the Reset and Launch option. This will reload the version of the most recent version notebook published by their instructor.
If actively working on a project you can use the left-hand navigation menu and choose Stop Project and then choose the Reset and Launch option on the opening screen.
Preview and Submit (MScFE Financial Data Course Only)
Preview and Submit (MScFE Financial Data Course Only)
When you are finished with the Lesson Notes, press “Preview and Submit.” This will save your notebook in the state where you leave off, with any changes you have made. Again, notebooks do not include graded activities in this course. Preview and Submit will store a version of the notebook that is personal to you, with cells you have run and code you have edited.
Restore the Original Notebook (for the AI Lab & MScFE Financial Data Course Only)
Restore the Original Notebook (for the AI Lab & MScFE Financial Data Course Only)
If you need to revert back to the original notebook, without changes you may have made and code cells you may have run, just go to the menu in the upper left-hand corner beneath the WQU logo and choose “Restart Project.” This may be necessary if you have made substantial changes to the original Lesson Notes in the notebook. “Restart Project” will restore the original notebook published by your instructors.
How to fix a "Could not find path" error (for Applied Data Science Lab & MScFE courses, except Financial Data)
How to fix a "Could not find path" error (for Applied Data Science Lab & MScFE courses, except Financial Data)
When you're working on your virtual machine, you may suddenly get a pop-up alert saying "Cannot open. Could not find path...." See an example in the image below.
When this alert appears, it's usually because your virtual machine is using too much memory and has been automatically shut down. To fix it, close the window, go back to the landing page for your course / project and click on the "Open Virtual Machine" button. This will restart your machine.
Limit the number of notebooks running on your machine
Click on the "Running Terminals and Kernels" icon on the left side of your browser window, and then click on "Shut Down All". (You can also just shut down the notebooks that you aren't currently using.)
Be Careful When Pulling from Databases
There's a lot of data in the databases you use to complete your assignments. If you pull all the data from a database, you can overload your machine. So remember to limit your queries to the first 5 results when you're building them.
Beware Infinite Loops
Make sure that there isn't any code in your notebook that's causing your machine to go into an infinite loop. In Python, this can sometimes happen with 'for' and 'while' statements.