Hints and Tips
Useful tools within NetAcad
Overview
Cisco via NetAcad have presented a set of global resources via their NetAcad platform - billed as Learning Never Stops: https://www.netacad.com/learning-never-stops
Mission Without Permission!
You do not require permission from Cisco to run courses at a distance. In fact, this has been a myth that has perpetuated for some considerable time. So long as you create plans around how you are going to focus your practical experience and final assessments (covered in our BDL course in the previous section), you can offer what you like to whom you wish.
Hot Tip 1: Create Self-Enrol Courses
It is worth noting that the following courses are self-enrol:
To access the self-enrol features, create the course (for Python and Linux Essentials - you will need to create a public campaigns edition of the course) - go to add students - then look for the create self-enrol page option. The rest is very self explanatory.
Once you have encouraged your students to self-enrol into these excellent entry point courses. When they have progressed and demonstrated sufficient learning/skill/danger you may wish to create more advanced courses and use the 'import from course' option within the add students section of every course created on NetAcad. The OU Cisco ASC team, created a short <5min explainer video (listed on the right hand side of this page - or below, if you are using a smart device).
Hot Tip 2: Hack the NetAcad Course
While you cannot move content between courses. You can easily add your own. The Canvas instance used by NetAcad allows for considerable flexibility. The OU Cisco ASC team prepared this <4min video (also to the right [or below]) some time ago, demonstrating how easy this can be. The benefit of adding your own content, is that you can easily link NetAcad to your own pre-existing learning flow as well as direct students to additional resources.
Hot Tip 3: Use (and abuse) Packet Tracer
Packet Tracer is free and freely avaialable for all students to download, as well as for teachers and educational establishments. If you are in a Cisco Academy you can install this on all organisation computers without licence or restriction.
Anyone can download from here ... Packet Tracer is a complex simulator covering Networking, Hardware Systems, Python Programming, IoT, CyberSecurity and much more. The short video to the left - from Andrew@OU presents possibly the simplest task that students may be able to complete.
For remote teaching - you may easily set challenge activities for your student to complete. NetAcad courses also come with many prepared Packet Tracer activities.