What You’ll Learn
- Cisco U. communities overview
- Creating a Cisco Learning Network account
- Using Cisco U. communities
Learning works best when we learn together. That’s why Cisco U. integrates so closely with the Cisco Learning Network. Cisco U. surfaces Cisco Learning Network communities and discussions personalized for you, to enrich your learning experience and help you connect with experts.
The Cisco Learning Network is a worldwide social learning community of more than a million members, focused on the IT industry. By integrating with Cisco Learning Network, Cisco U. aims to provide learning tools, training resources, and industry guidance to anyone interested in building an IT career, whether by expanding their existing skill set or learning an entirely new one.
To get the most out of Cisco U. communities, you’ll need a Cisco Learning Network account. This tutorial covers what to do if you don’t have an account yet, and what to do if you do.
If you don’t have a Cisco Learning Network account, creating one is easy! Cisco U. links you to the Cisco Learning Network home page, where you go through a few steps to create an account. You are not required to have an account—you can read all communities and discussions without a login—but if you want to interact with discussions or join a community, you will need an account. Even though there is a ton of value in just reading the discussions, the value that you will get out of it will be much greater if you participate!
Creating an Account on the Cisco Learning Network
- Within Cisco U. Communities, click into any of the discussion threads or community links to be launched directly into the Cisco Learning Network page.
- Once there, click Create an account.
- Follow all prompts, and be sure to agree to community terms and conditions.
- Check out communities and threads that you may find interesting and relatable to you!
Once your account is created in the Cisco Learning Network, it will automatically be linked to your Cisco U. experience. Your followed Cisco Learning Network communities and discussions will be displayed in your Cisco U. dashboard under the My Communities tab.
Communities provide a gathering place where you can ask questions and share ideas about topics for a specific certification. While many communities focus on certification prep, others offer discussions on additional resources, such as Cisco Modeling Labs or recertification questions. Your fellow participants will be a valuable support resource as you take your career to the next level.
Heading back to Cisco U., click the Community tab in the top navigation bar. Here, you can see communities, recent discussions, and events coming up that might interest you.
- As you become familiar with the communities that interest you, you can find new communities to join by clicking Community in the top navigation bar. You can follow threads and contribute to discussions by offering answers, posing questions, and interacting with the posts of others.
- Communities and discussions you follow will surface to you on Cisco U. so that you can interact with them in real time.
- Engaging with the community helps you toward earning points toward VIP and ambassador status, which offer special opportunities for additional perks for your participation.
Study Resources
To prepare for any certifications, check out our study resources on the Cisco Learning Network to practice and test your understanding.
Finding it is a breeze!
- Click any of the communities or threads in Cisco U to automatically cross-launch yourself back out to the Cisco Learning Network.
- Once there, in the top navigation, select Study Resources.
- There, you will find a variety of methods to help with your learning retention—from things like exam tutorials and practice labs to learning and certifications podcasts.
Note that certification preparation materials on the Cisco Learning Network do not constitute a complete self-study program but are supplemental materials to enhance core learning programs.
If You Already Have a Cisco Learning Network Account
One of the best ways to learn new concepts is by discussing them with others. If you have a Cisco Learning Network account, that additional tool in your arsenal is automatically at your fingertips in Cisco U. Communities and threads that you follow on the Cisco Learning Network also will surface on Cisco U. in the following ways and places:
Continue Discussions in Dashboard
Continue discussions in any threads that you already follow by accessing them in the Dashboard page. You can access the page by:
- Clicking the U icon in the upper-right corner
- Selecting My Communities from the drop down options
Congratulations
We hope you’ll find our Cisco learner community helpful in your journey to learn new concepts and deepen your understanding by being able to explain what you’ve learned to others.