Computer Based Learning options ?

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Hi all, I'm looking to start working towards a MCSE and was wondering does anyone know of any good 'computer based learning ' packages ?
The reason I'm looking at CBT stuff is cause there is a chance I might be able to get my employer to pay for it. So I thought I could get some videos and also buy some books, probably the MS Press ones.

Has anyone heard of / used www.trainsignal.com before ?
Have also looked at Learnkey but they are a bit expensive.

Thanks for any help

 

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learnkey are a tad pricey
but sometimes you really DO get what you pay for, there very good

 

The LearnKey CD-ROMs are excelent, I've used them but I also sell them!! They have done many studies and claim a 99% pass rate.

The full MCSE 2003 from LearnKey is £1, 090.

Alternativly Elementk courses are very good also and there online learning is excelent and includes online classroom training sessions and online books.

They do a library covering MCSA, MCSE, CNE, A+, iNet+, Network+, Server+, LINUX and more for around £1, 249.

 

Oo never heard of these Elementek folks, ill go have a looksie


also you have your CBTnuggets, KnowledgeNet i think are another one i liked
and dont forget your lovely trancenders to finish off with

 

Came accross these the other day. Demo's look quite good

 

ElementK is fantastic. They provide the Microsoft branded training materials. I've had a go at their on-line training and it really is very good. Their paper-based stuff is really aimed at the classroom.You don't seem to be able to get the proper Microsoft curriculum in the UK though.

 

Many thanks for the advice / help.
Plenty to look into now.

 

Well, I guess I'm here to provide an alternate point of view.

CBT is very expensive. I've used LearnKey personally, and to tell the truth, all it did for me in the long run was familiarize me with terminology. I'd say the same thing for any CBT such as LearnKey. As such I'd say it is a very over-priced for what it really does.

Why? Because the real learning and knowledge that a person gets in IT comes from doing things hands-on. You can watch LearnKey all day long, sit down in front of a server and not know squat about being able to troubleshoot any problem that arises. The only way you actually learn things in this industry is by doing. You have to see things IRL, so to speak, before what you know really begins to make sense and you really begin to understand what is happening. LearnKey, or any of the other CBT courses, do not do that for you.

With that in mind I'd recommend that anyone with money to spend, credit to burn, etc... and is wanting to really learn, spend that money on lab equipment and books. It will pay off in the end. You will end up with actual skills, not with a head knowledge that won't help you actually do the work.

I see LearnKey as another form of braindumping. It doesn't increase actual skills, it just familiarizes. But, that's just me. Take it for what it's worth.

 

I completely agree with you.
I disagree as well, if that makes any sense.
We all know that in an ideal world, hands on experience is the best way to learn things.
But what about those who don't have the opportunity? All those who don't have a server in their bedroom or access to SQL.
It's getting harder to get into IT without a cert, yet the industry is increasingly aware that there are certified individuals with no experience. We all have to make the best of what we've got, e-learning, training providers, distance learning, courseware etc.
It's all some people can get.
As I've said in previous posts, it's all about what you can do, not about what you can't.

 

I understand where you're coming from. But, if someone has the money to lay out for something like LearnKey, which will not give them any hands-on skills, then they have the money to lay out for a simple network and some books, which will give hands-on skills. If they do some shopping they can come up with a few computers to use a servers and workstations, a KVM switch and cables, and can use either eval versions of all the software, or figure out a way to qualify for MS's package OS's that they sell for around $400 so that includes the server OS, SQL Server, XP, Exchange, etc....

They can do this for approximately the same amount as they would spend on LearnKey, and at the same time come out of this study with a much higher level of education and actually have some working skills. The cert test costs are then a wash because either way they will have to spend that money. At least with a hands-on approach they gain real world skills. They actually become comfortable in front of a server screen. They know where to go and what to do, and as prone as Microsoft's products are to developing products they will also learn some troubleshooting skills.

Why spend money on that which will not benefit you in the long run when you can spend the same amount of money and far surpass that skill level?

 

Oh yes you can!!! We are the UK EK Partners