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: WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 8, 2000) -- Active-duty and : > reserve soldiers, and Department of Army civilians can continue to take : free : > online information technology courses thanks to a recently renewed : contract : > between the Army and SmartForce, a commercial computer-based training : > company. : > Since the Army first started offering the service in 1998, the : > course catalog has grown to offer training on more than 1,100 technical : > subjects. : > "Rather than send people away from their jobs to half a dozen : places : > for training, why not save time and money by having them sign up for : online : > courses," said Lt. Col. Tom Loper, the program's project manager. "We : opted : > to offer this education to both the civilian and soldier workforce. In an : > increasingly technology-based Army, these classes not only make students : > smarter at their jobs but give them more marketable skills for future jobs : > -- inside or out of the military." : > The program is offered on the web at www.armycbt.army.mil. The : > classes range from how to use word-processor, database and spreadsheet : > programs for beginner through advanced users to 70 : certification-preparation : > courses for systems administrators and computer programmers. : > While all the classes are free for registered users, the program : > does not offer actual certifications. Arrangements for certification : testing : > and associated testing fees - often costing several hundred dollars -- : must : > be made through commercial venders. Links to those venders are posted on : the : > Army CBT web page. : > Additionally, many of the offered courses may qualify for college : > credit. Loper recommended those interested in getting college credit for : > SmartForce classes check with their local Army Education Services office : to : > determine which qualify and what costs may be involved through a college : or : > university. : > Currently, the instruction is primarily text-based with some : > graphics and photos. SmartForce plans to offer streaming video for : > instructor lectures in the future when available bandwidth is large : enough, : > Loper said. Online mentoring service is also offered on a limited basis. : > To date, 70,000-plus registered Army users have used the : SmartForce : > instruction. : > To register or view the course catalog, visit the Army CBT web : site. : > Registration must be made on a computer tied into an Army wide-area : network : > using a military domain address. However, once the registration is : complete, : > students may log on with a student number and password at home, a local : > library or on any other computer connected to the Internet. : > : > : > : > Link to original news item: : > http://www.dtic.mil/armylink/news/Nov2000/a20001108techcourses.html

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