4 important ways the cloud works for schools
Cloud computing has been heralded as a great way to share, store and maintain information, and one of the most important verticals for the cloud is in the education sector. More schools than ever before are turning to the cloud, and in order to understand the real impact that cloud infrastructure is having on society, one need not look any further than the education system.
Let’s take a look at the top four ways cloud computing is helping the education system reach new heights:
1. Saves money
This is a benefit of cloud computing in general, but schools especially can take advantage of the cost-saving capabilities of virtual deployments. With today’s education budgets continuing to dip lower and lower, it’s often difficult for students and teachers to get the technology they need to stay focused on their learning. Schools are more budget conscious than ever, and making sure new technologies fit within the allotted IT spend is critical.
2. Keeps learning relevant
CloudTweaks contributor Sameer Bhatia noted that the cloud enables learning materials to stay up to date. In some circumstances, schools no longer need to provide expensive physical copies of their textbooks, as students are able to use the Internet to view more current versions of their learning materials, including updated maps and history guides. This enhances student learning and also helps educators come up with detailed, relevant lesson plans without having to rely on outdated textbook materials.
With cloud-based learning tools, students don’t have to worry about the information being out of date.3. Increases productivity
Higher productivity is one of the well-known advantages of cloud computing for the business world. The education sector can benefit in this way, as well. Techknowledge contributor Claire Renn stated that the cloud is one easy way to boost productivity and engagement within school systems.
“With cloud computing, the programs used to create and share become even more mobile and less tethered to a particular device,” Renn wrote. “Device portability enables ease and speed of use, leading to increased engagement and collaboration. Cloud computing could further shorten this gap.”
With cloud-based tools, students can learn virtually anywhere. This leads to increases in productivity and engagement on a deeper level.
“Public and private universities can use the cloud to keep track of student information.”
4. Provides better storage and database security
One of the most important ways to use the cloud is to store student data. Public and private universities can also use the cloud to keep track of student information and ensure the security of their systems.
According to EdTech magazine, schools are moving to cloud-run database tools for security reasons, as well. For smaller education systems with not a lot of budget for the IT department, the cloud saves both time and money in the long term. Investing in cloud infrastructure can offer numerous security benefits to educational organizations:
- Cloud-based Web gateways can reduce hacking incidents and provide better defense against zero-day threats.
- The cloud supports databases of millions of threat signatures, whereas on-premises systems may not be so robust. This creates more comprehensive threat prevention.
- When educators visit other schools or work remotely, cloud-based systems keep their networks safe so they can log in from wherever they may be without worrying about security threats.
The takeaway
All of these reasons are important for the education sector in its search for budget friendly, secure, useful technologies that are going to improve student learning. The cloud is an incredible technology that is helping students to stay focused and productive. Making sure that cloud infrastructure is being used to its full advantage will certainly help educational groups get the best use out of their technology for the most complete education possible.
