Over the past decade or so, the way education is delivered, and the way people like to learn, has changed dramatically. Cost, convenience, and the availability of new tools make alternative forms of education more effective than ever before. I think we have finally reached a tipping point where the majority of people like to learn at their own pace using both formal instruction, like company education programs, as well as turning to their peers for informal advice and guidance. A successful education formula requires subject matter experts to ensure that the curriculum is current and relevant. And Web 2.0 technologies enable these expert instructors to scale globally.
Education is no longer confined to a physical classroom. Instead, it is served up as information and programmatic offerings with live teaching and expert mentoring. While some folks do well studying books, more lasting education comes from practice and feedback with live interaction. If you’re considering a course of study, you should choose one that fits the way you learn best by weighing how fast you need to absorb the material and what kind of education is the most cost-effective.
For sure, instructor-led education combined with real work practice still continues to be the fastest and most focused way to learn a subject. What has changed is that you can now take a virtual class with an instructor and be mentored anywhere in the world by experts, virtually through Web 2.0 collaboration tools like video conferencing and TelePresence. People who need more time to learn, or that want to educate themselves at their own pace, now have vastly expanded options.
We effectively use the Cisco Learning Network, our social learning community, to guide learners, and engage with them on what and how to study, while providing online mentoring to help them reach their goals. This, combined with more structured education programs online, provide a wide range of tools to use and improve skills, and help people absorb knowledge no matter where they are or what technology they happen to have available to them. Convenience and information relevance are critical, and we have gone a long way to empower our technical community with these tools. Over 80% of our million-plus population of Cisco professionals studies this way.
Both classroom learners and self-paced learners can augment their education experience with help from colleagues and mentors, on-line assessments, and tools to provide feedback and guidance throughout their education journey. Mobility applications are very much a part of the education experience these days, as many jobs require employees to work onsite with customers, away from their desks and primary computers.
This brings us back to the platforms, technologies and communities that are so critical in building talent. We have gone beyond early adopter trials into standardizing the use of Web 2.0 technologies, and online peer-to-peer learning, as a way to accelerate every aspect of our technical community. We have found that this virtual and social education medium can be incredibly compelling and effective in enabling IT professionals and students to learn a subject.
If you’re an aspiring network professional, or an industry veteran, please visit the Cisco Learning Network. As learning evolves, and our community continues to grow and transform to meet the needs of its members, I am sure you’ll find it a lively, engaging and informative destination. And if you join us, you’ll have a chance, as a member of our social learning community, to influence the future of network education and the Cisco Learning Network.
