Here is a sampling of the many companies eager to train you via CBT, along with a few extra resources to help you connect up with the software that can help you get certified...
ComputerPREP (now part of ProsoftTraining.com)
CompTIA, Microsoft, Cisco, CIW
Coriolis (Personal Trainer products)
Cisco, CompTIA, Microsoft
If the interface passes muster, move on to the content issues. Will the courseware you’ll be purchasing cover all the material you need to know to pass the certification exam? Was it created by qualified instructors? Is it at the proper level for you current expertise? Slogging through networking basics when you already have been working in the field for years is a tedious waste of time. How many parts is the course broken into (that you’ll have to purchase)? Sometimes one course appears dramatically cheaper than another, but closer inspection reveals that the less expensive one only covers part of the material.
Some courses offer pre and post course assessments. These are intended to help you (or your manager) gauge your improvement, as well as to identify areas of strength and weakness. Although not a critical feature to many students, some find it a valuable addition. But whether or not the software offers such assessments, it should provide feedback on your progress. A few quizzes thrown in at the end of each section will keep you honest and help you verify that you’re really learning.
Finally, make sure that the software is compatible with your computer. This is much less likely to be an issue than when CBT was new, but take time to assure that you’re purchasing the right version for your computing environment.
It’s amazing how CBT has progressed from the first, achingly slow CD-ROM to robust programs that incorporate audio, video, and hands-on activities to reinforce learning and make even the driest of material more palatable. We’re coming very close to certification training whenever and wherever you want it. How long can it be before the Internet appliances that are beginning to appear in cars will bring you CBT on wheels? Then again, Certification Roving Automobile Study Helpware (CRASH) is an innovation we can probably do without for a wee bit longer.
