Cloud computing

Cloud computing can be defined as “a distributed computing paradigm, where, instead of acquiring information technology products, users access shared resources under various service models through a network, usually the internet.” In other words, cloud computing allows users to access various computing services, such as data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software from anywhere in the world and at any time. All they need is an electronic device and access to the internet. There are three main models that cloud computing providers employ to offer their services: Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software as a Service (SaaS) is probably the most commonly used cloud computing model today, in which applications are delivered to end users over the internet. The software can be accessed through a browser and there is no need for users to install anything on their computers. Any software updates, security patches, and other administrative duties are exclusively handled by the service providers, making SaaS the easiest model to implement and use. It also offers the greatest flexibility in terms of payment, allowing users to only pay for what they actually use and terminate the contract once they no longer need it.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Platform as a Service (PaaS) gives users access to a cloud-based platform that allows them to build their own applications without having to invest in underlying hardware and software resources as well, such as an operating system, databases, or servers. All of these are provided by the vendor, who is also responsible for tasks like security, server and storage configuration, load balancing, and auto-scaling. Just like SaaS, users only pay for the features and tools that they actually use, rather than the entire infrastructure. Some notable examples of PaaS solutions include the Google App Engine and Heroku.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) enables users to rent hardware and any other necessary IT infrastructure like servers, rather than buying them outright. In this model, the service provider is still responsible for managing the servers, hard drives, networking, virtualisation, and storage, while users have some responsibility relating to the management of operating systems and virtual machines. The biggest advantage of IaaS solutions is that they offer unparalleled scaling opportunities, allowing users to easily add additional capacity in case their needs outgrow their initial estimates. Some of the most well-known examples of IaaS solutions include Google Compute Engine, Google Cloud Storage, and Google Big Query.

Cloud computing has found a wide variety of useful applications in many different fields over the years. In fact, this technology has become so ubiquitous that most of us have interacted with it in one form or another even if we’re not immediately aware of it. You have probably noticed that some pieces of software installed on your computer or your smartphone work regardless of whether or not you have internet access, while others don’t.

For instance, your operating system will work just fine even if you are not connected to the internet. However, if you try to open your email account, you’ll see that it’s not possible. That’s because the data you are trying to access is not stored on your computer but on a server located somewhere far away. In other words, this data is stored in ‘the cloud’. In fact, data storage is probably the most commonly used application of cloud computing technology in the world today. It allows users to store vast amounts of files, images, audio, and videos online, instead of having to occupy precious space on their personal devices. Once uploaded to the cloud, this data can then be accessed from anywhere and using any device.

Backup and recovery is yet another popular application of cloud computing technology. Having a copy of their valuable data safely backed up in the cloud allows companies to easily retrieve lost data in case something goes wrong with the original files. Cloud computing also enables companies to analyse the raw data they collect and produce valuable insights that will be beneficial to their business. Furthermore, the cloud offers a valuable environment for developing and testing new products and services before they’re deployed into the real world. Cloud computing is also widely used in the entertainment industry, providing access to nearly infinite amounts of music (Spotify), movies and television shows (Netflix), and video games (Steam).

Like many other sectors, education is increasingly implementing cloud computing technology. “The ed tech space is mimicking what we’re seeing in other industries, from healthcare to retail to manufacturing”, says Rick Blaisdell, a cloud computing expert and author of the technology blog Rick’s Cloud. “Many institutions already have experience with free or low-cost cloud-based tools like Google G Suite for Education and Microsoft 365. And now, they’re kind of moving into the next phase, with solutions in areas like user management and human resources.” The CoSN 2020 EdTech Leadership survey reveals that 97 per cent of school districts in the US use a cloud-based learning management system. Furthermore, about 64 per cent of districts have moved their financial services to the cloud, while 51 per cent did the same with their HR systems.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise to learn that education-oriented cloud computing is predicted to exceed $25 billion in 2021. The coronavirus pandemic is likely to have accelerated this emerging trend even further. With schools temporarily shut down and more than a billion students all over the world sent home to curb the spread of the virus, schools had no other choice but to turn to cloud-based remote learning solutions to ensure continuity of learning for their students.

Cloud computing technology provides a wide variety of benefits to both students and teachers. Most importantly, it significantly improves accessibility by allowing students to access their course content, lectures, assignments, and textbooks from anywhere and at any time using their home computers, tablets, or smartphones. It also enables students who may not be able to physically get to class to participate in school activities. Cloud computing also makes it easier for students to share their notes with one another and with their teachers. This also benefits teachers, as it allows them to save a great deal of time on planning and implementing lesson plans.

Cloud computing also facilitates collaborative learning by making it easier for students to work on group projects and collective assignments in real time. Cloud computing takes some of the stress out of the process by allowing students to work on their part of a project in their own time and then share the results of their work with their peers online. If they get stuck, they can easily reach out to their teachers and ask for help. Teachers benefit as well by being able to assign tasks and monitor the process from anywhere using live chats, online assessments, and virtual labs.

Thanks to cloud computing, educational institutions can significantly reduce their capital and operational costs. Rather than buying their own servers to store the data they collect, institutions can just rent as many as they need to satisfy their needs. This also helps them reduce electricity and maintenance costs, as the servers won’t be physically present on school grounds. Furthermore, since cloud providers are responsible for maintenance, institutions won’t have to hire additional IT staff to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Cloud computing brings significant cost savings to students as well by eliminating the need to buy expensive textbooks, as all of the learning content they need can be made available online.

The number of educational institutions that have implemented cloud-based applications and tools has increased dramatically following the coronavirus outbreak. One of these schools is the Aldenham Foundation, an independent secondary and preparatory school in the UK, which uses the popular video conferencing platform Microsoft Teams to conduct online classes. “Key to this for us was addressing cloud security . . . enabling our teachers and students to teach and learn safely using cloud tools and resources”, explains Charlie Cochrane, the Aldenham Foundation’s head of technology. “You need clear strategies on cloud computing in education to avoid confusing teachers, parents and students. That means choosing single platform technologies.”

Once schools were shut down and students sent home in an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus, online learning platforms experienced a tremendous spike in traffic. For instance, the Italian classroom collaboration platform WeSchool, which facilitates the sharing of materials between students and teachers, saw web traffic for its online education services increase 10 times since the start of the pandemic. However, the platform was able to handle the increased load with no issues because it was built on Amazon Web Services (AWS), one of the world’s leading cloud computing platforms. At one point, as many as 30 per cent of secondary school teachers in Italy used WeSchool to connect with their students virtually and continue delivering instruction online.

In North America, one of the leading cloud-based software providers for schools is PowerSchool. Their solutions are designed to help schools manage teaching administration, grading, attendance, state reporting, registration, human resources, and analytics. It has currently seen adoption by more than 12,000 schools and districts across 90 countries. The London District Catholic School Board in Canada has used the PowerSchool SIS (student information system) to help manage its approximately 18,500 students across more than 50 schools and with over 2,000 staff and administrators. The web-based system was well received, with supervisor of ICT data and student management Sandra Abell lauding its features, “such as user-friendliness, the parent and student portal”.

While the benefits of cloud computing in education are undeniable, there are certain issues associated with the technology that educational institutions need to take into account before they proceed with its implementation.

Security

Unsurprisingly, the main concern associated with the use of cloud technology in education is security. When set up correctly, cloud technology is rather secure as most cloud providers have protocols designed to ensure the confidentiality and safety of the data stored on their servers. However, as is often the case when your private data is hosted in the cloud, there are some inherent security risks that can’t be ruled out, such as the possibility of a cyberattack. Furthermore, even if the cloud infrastructure is properly secured, there may be some risks at the end-user side. For instance, users often use multiple devices to access cloud-based resources, so if one of those devices is compromised, they can become a potential point of entry for nefarious actors. The risk grows even further if one of those devices is a public computer that can be used by just about anyone. One way to address this problem is to make sure that all users are familiar with cloud security best practices, such as multi-factor authentication measures, which can minimise or completely eliminate some of the security concerns outlined above. Another frequently cited concern relates to the storage of information on servers that are located in countries that have poor or nonexistent data protection regulations, which is why UNESCO recommends that educational institutions choose only those cloud providers who offer guarantees that personal data will be stored in countries with safe legal systems.

Lack of control

Another major disadvantage of cloud technology is that users have very little or no control whatsoever over updates and other features, leaving them completely at the mercy of their cloud service provider, who also controls the cloud infrastructure and system setup. There is also the possibility that the provider will decide to increase the pricing overnight or, even worse, shut down the service altogether. This problem becomes even more pronounced if an educational institution relies on a single provider for a whole range of services. To minimise this risk, institutions are recommended to diversify the number of software suppliers so that they will always have an alternative ready if one service stops working. Unfortunately, that may not be something everyone can afford.

Vendor commitment

In the case where an educational institution relies exclusively on the services of a single vendor and is unable to switch between service providers, it’s absolutely crucial that they choose the right provider who will listen to them, understand their needs and concerns, and eliminate any unforeseen risks. Furthermore, most providers will require institutions to sign service contracts with them, which can be difficult to get out of early on without paying a hefty fine.

Dependence on internet service providers

It’s probably common knowledge already, but it’s worth pointing out that cloud-based software requires internet access to function properly. In addition to being rather costly if an educational institution needs to manage a high volume of information in the cloud, there is also the risk that sudden internet outages or poor bandwidth could cause a major disruption in learning. To avoid this, institutions need to make sure that they are not overly reliant on cloud-based software and only adopt those services that they really need and that will improve the experience for both teachers and students.

Widening the digital divide

One of the biggest risks associated with excessive reliance on cloud computing in education is that it could potentially further exacerbate an already significant sociological gap between students who have computer and internet access and those who don’t, which is also known as the digital divide. A 2020 report published by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) reveals that as many as two thirds, or 1.3 billion, of the world’s school-age children don’t have internet access at home. This problem is particularly pronounced in regions like sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where up to 9 out of 10 children are unconnected. However, that doesn’t mean that only developing countries are affected. According to the 2020 PPIC Statewide Survey, nearly 30 per cent of secondary school students in the state of California lacked reliable internet access in the spring of 2020, while more than half of parents were concerned about providing a productive learning environment for their children at home. This indicates that there is still a long way to go before the digital divide is a thing of the past.

Cloud computing technology has become an indispensable part of our everyday lives. We use it to store our data and communicate with others. We even depend on it for our entertainment needs. And now, we can also add our education to the list. With students unable to physically attend classes due to the pandemic, educational institutions were forced to implement cloud-based remote learning solutions to ensure the continuity of learning. This development is poised to have a significant impact on the future of education. Cloud computing technology offers numerous benefits to both students and teachers, including improved accessibility, better collaboration, and reduced costs. However, like any other emerging technology, it also comes with some inherent risks that could affect its wider adoption. This is why educational institutions need to proceed with caution and carefully weigh all the pros and cons before they decide to bring cloud computing into the classroom.