From film-strip projectors and chalkboards to tablets and smartboards, learning has changed dramatically over the years. Educators now have access to a wide range of technology that can be used in the classroom, and cloud computing is at the forefront of this revolution.
Cloud computing in education has opened up new possibilities for engaging students and customizing their learning experiences while improving student outcomes overall. Here’s a deeper dive into how cloud computing has changed learning forever.
What Did Your School Use Before Cloud Computing?
Schools were some of the first institutions to use “cloud computing.” In the 1950s, schools and large corporations started using gargantuan mainframes to store and access data.
As many of you probably remember (or have seen in movies!), mainframes took up entire rooms and required punch cards to enter instructions.
For decades, schools have used these physical servers, although they’ve thankfully become much smaller, to manage the vital information they use each day. You may have been in the “server room” at your institution—a room full of
humming machines that store and process data.
But just like any physical hardware, these servers require maintenance, can be subject to technical failure, and cost your school a lot of resources.
How Does Cloud Computing Make Modern Learning Possible?
Enter modern cloud computing in education: an easier, cheaper, and far more efficient way to store and access data. Cloud providers like Google Drive, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services are now used in the majority of schools today.
With cloud computing, teachers and administrators can share materials with students easily, communicate with parents and each other, and keep student records updated. They can also access data from anywhere in the world—perfect for remote learning and hybrid classes when students are in different locations.
Without cloud computing in education, learning during the pandemic would’ve been impossible. There would have been no way to share resources with students or collaborate in real-time. Modern cloud computing is making it possible to keep learning going no matter what the situation.
The 5 Advantages Your School Has When You Use Cloud Computing
If you’re implementing more cloud computing solutions, your school will be giving teachers and students these advantages (and many more):
More Inclusive Access
Think about a single mom that would like to finish her bachelor’s degree—how easy will it be for her to attend an in-person class when she has to take care of her family? With cloud computing, she can access the same material from any device with an internet connection.
Students in remote locations, those who act as caregivers, and many other “non-traditional” students benefit from cloud computing in education.
Less Waste
Since you don’t need physical servers anymore, your school can save on electricity and other energy costs, as well as reduce its physical waste. Your school can use the funds and resources saved to invest in educational materials instead.
Increased Security & Reliability
The data stored in the cloud is much safer than when it’s kept in physical servers. This is because cloud service providers use the most advanced security measures to protect your information, like encryption and multi-factor authentication.
Additionally, with cloud computing in education, you don’t have to worry about broken hard drives or electrical failure—it’s all managed for you by the provider. There are security concerns of course, but many of them can be mitigated by the right cybersecurity provider.
Better Collaboration & Accessibility
Picture the cycle of an assignment before cloud computing in education: a teacher creates an assignment, has to copy it, hand it out (missing any students who weren’t in class that day), the students fill it out and turn it in, the teacher grades it by hand, has to record the grades, and then hand it back to the student.
With cloud computing, this process can be streamlined so the teacher can create, assign, grade, and store all of the information in one place, which is accessible to all students.
Plus, with features like Google Docs and Dropbox Paper, students can collaborate in real-time on projects.
Cost Savings & Scalability
Not only do cloud providers save you money on energy bills and physical hardware costs, but they also have subscription-based payment models that allow your school to pay for the services it needs without worrying about overspending.
When your school’s needs change, you can scale up or down your cloud services easily, depending on the situation.
Customize Your Students’ Learning with ANC Group
Cloud computing in education has revolutionized the way students learn, making it easier than ever to access resources, collaborate with peers, and get assignments done quickly.
ANC Group can help you implement the latest cloud solutions for your school or district so that teachers and students have all of the tools they need to be successful. After 20 years of helping K–12 institutions and higher education programs access better IT solutions, we’d love to see if we’re a good fit for you.
Schedule a consultation to learn how cloud computing can help your students.
