Overriding the LearnPad Browser
February 18, 2015
Most web pages display consistently between web browsers, although from time to time, differences in the way that pages are rendered and displayed can occur.
LearnPad devices are supplied with the LearnPad Browser and as standard, all web resources open in this browser. The LearnPad Browser has been designed specifically with the needs of teachers and pupils in mind, with features that include:
- Support for Adobe Flash.
- Enhanced security that prevents pupils from navigating to websites other than those which have been explicitly permitted by the teacher.
Most websites work well in any modern web browser, but in some instances they are designed with the features of a specific browser in mind. Because of this, you may choose to open certain website resources in a browser other than the LearnPad browser. Before doing this, you should be aware that:
- Using a browser other than the LearnPad browser makes it possible for pupils to browse to websites other than those included in the current lesson, meaning that you should be confident that your existing web filtering is adequate. This also means that when creating website resources that use an alternative browser, you do not need to complete the Whitelist URLs field as this setting does not apply.
- The browser that you will use must be included in a category within the lesson that your web resource is in, or in your school’s Toolbox (it is important to note that if the browser is added to the Toolbox, the browser will always be accessible on your LearnPad tablets, irrespective of what lesson is active).
To configure a website resource to open in an alternative web browser you should:
- Log into the ClassConnect Portal (http://connect.learnpad.com).
- On the Manage page, from the left-hand page navigation, in the Content section, choose Resources.
- Select the website resource that you would like to open in an alternative web browser.
- In the Android Browser Override field enter the appropriate string for the web browser that you wish to use:
- Google Chrome – com.android.chrome/com.google.android.apps.chrome.Main
- Mozilla Firefox – org.mozilla.firefox/org.mozilla.firefox.App
- Puffin Academy – com.cloudmosa.puffinAcademy/com.cloudmosa.puffinAcademy.LemonActivity
Troubleshooting Browser Overrides
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| You attempt to launch the website resource and an error is displayed warning “That activity is not approved”. The resource then closes. | The web browser is installed on the device but is not present in either the lesson or the Toolbox. Add the web browser to a category contained within the lesson, or to your school’s Toolbox. |
| You attempt to launch the website resource and an error is displayed warning “Browser is not installed”. | The web browser is not installed on the device. Add the web browser to a category contained within the lesson, or to your school’s Toolbox – and ensure that the browser has been installed. |
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