The implementation of cloud computing technology has had a significant impact on the education sector, where students and teachers can access resources on a unified platform remotely from anywhere with an internet connection. It has opened up a completely different way of learning and teaching by allowing secure access to applications and learning materials. There are several ways that cloud technology is affecting education services and below are some examples.
How the Cloud Is Transforming Education Services
- Minimal Hardware – Purchasing and maintaining onsite hardware is both expensive and time-consuming and many educational facilities do not have the budget or resources to sustain such an infrastructure. By migrating to a cloud platform, the need for physical onsite hardware is no longer needed as everything is handled remotely. This also applies to the hardware requirements needed to use the applications. Now, students can have ease of access to everything they need on their phones or laptops without having to worry about software and hardware costs, as everything is accessed on the cloud which takes care of the resources needed to run the data.
- Accessibility – Because of cloud computing technology, educational accessibility is no longer a problem. No matter where in the world, users can access applications, course materials, and other relevant data. Students can enrol in classes remotely and have better collaboration opportunities to work closely with teachers and other students. This ease of accessibility gives anyone with an internet connection the opportunity to seek higher learning with minimal requirements that were next to impossible in times gone by. Australia, for example, has cloud services in Melbourne and other major cities that enable AU education providers to target a worldwide audience rather than just the local populace making their courses accessible to all.
Australia, for example, has several educational cloud services in Melbourne and other major cities that almost anyone can enrol in no matter what country or time zone they are in.
- Cost Saving – Without the need for students to purchase typically expensive required textbooks and applications to participate in a course, the cost savings associated with cloud-based learning can be quite significant. Almost everything needed to complete a course can be stored in a cloud. Education institutions also save money by not needing to buy hardware such as servers and workstations, all but eliminating the cost of onsite maintenance and tech support. Educators also have the benefit of teaching remotely which nullifies commute time and cost, allowing for more productive time in every day. Money is also saved by using cloud platforms as it is mostly a pay-as-you-go system, so institutions only pay for what online resources are being used at any given time.
- Security – Data security is a top priority for cloud technology, which is heavily invested in by all cloud-based solutions. There are many different ways cloud platforms ensure data security including the use of Denial of Service protection, user and device authentication, and VPNs, which encrypt data. This gives peace of mind to both students and educators knowing that they can transmit data without the worry of virtual theft or data loss. Data and applications are also routinely backed up on multiple remote servers, so if anything does become corrupt or lost, it is a quick and easy task to retrieve it.
The above examples are why cloud computing solutions are being thoroughly embraced by the education sector. The benefits of this technology are having a markedly positive effect on the way education is being rolled out around the world and the more it is implemented the better it is for people who may otherwise go without an education.
