Help
Quick starts for each role. Pick yours, or print one to hand out.
Quick start for students
You need your school or work email address and the class code from your instructor. There's no password.
- 1
Join your class
Open Join a class and type the class code from your instructor's screen (for example K7QX-M3PA), or scan the QR code or open the link they sent. If your instructor added you to their class list, you can skip this: signing in puts you in the class.
Join a class → - 2
Sign in with your email
Enter your email and choose Email me a sign-in code. Type the six-digit code from the email into the page. You can read the email on your phone and type the code on the computer in front of you. On a lab or library computer, tick This is a shared or public computer first.
Sign in → - 3
See what's due
Home shows your open labs and exams, most urgent first. My work lists everything in each of your classes with your score once it's in.
My work → - 4
Do a lab
Open the cohort and choose Start (or Continue) beside a lab. Each step opens a tool with the lab bar above it: work in the tool, then enter your answer in the bar. Every step allows two tries; the second earns half the points.
My cohorts → - 5
Take an exam
Exams appear on the cohort page while they're open. Choose Start; a timed exam counts down from that moment. You'll see your results when your instructor's settings allow.
- 6
Check your progress
My progress shows how you're doing topic by topic across the curriculum, from the lab steps you've finished.
My progress →
- Every tool also works on its own, without signing in, from All tools in the sidebar.
- On a shared computer, sign out from your name at the top right when you finish. With This is a shared or public computer ticked, PFA also signs you out when the browser closes or after 15 minutes without use.
- Your instructors see your lab and exam results and how much time you spend on PFA. Other learners don't.
Something not covered here? Ask your instructor, or your organization's admin.