Moving to the Cloud in Education? It just makes sense!

I wanted to draw your attention to the cloud and why moving to it is beneficial and the great things you can do with cloud based computing and storage.  Using the cloud is a great tool and it’s simple to use.  In fact many of you are probably already using some form of cloud storage to include Google Docs, Picasa, YouTube, Edmodo, Drop Box, or any other place you store files, pictures and videos online.

                There are many benefits to using the cloud.  You can access your files from anywhere meaning that you do no longer have to lug your laptop back and forth from school.  You can access your files on your phone, tablet and just about any other connected device to the internet.  It also makes it easy to share these files and if students turn in their work online you no longer have to lug papers home to grade. 

                Another important thing about the cloud is that you have a backup of your files online.  Computers break, get lost, and you can lose years’ worth of work if they crash, but if your files are backed up in the cloud you will never lose anything.  This makes it better than a jump drive backup system or DVD backup because you will never lose your work if it’s in the cloud and you can access it on any device. 

                Another great thing about online cloud storage is that it makes it easy to share documents with students.  I love using Edmodo to post my classwork online.   The students get the assignment and complete it.  They then turn it in online.  Nothing gets lost and I can easily see who turned in the assignment and who did not.  Things no longer get lost in the shuffle and students get quicker feedback on assignments.   

                When students are using the cloud for storage there is never an excuse as to why they do not have their work.  I tell my students to save everything to their computer and to their backpack in Edmodo.  I explain to them that if they have to move seats or if their computer breaks they still have access to their work.  I also explain to them that if they miss a few days of school their work is online in their backpack on Edmodo and they can continue to work on it from home.  They now can never lose their work and can access it from anywhere to include Brazil if they decide to take a vacation during the school year.

                There are some drawbacks to using online cloud storage.  The biggest drawback is that you have to have an internet connection.  It the internet connection is down or you are in an area with no internet you will not be able to access the things you stored in the cloud.  Although this can be a problem at times, the benefits of cloud storage far outweigh this slight problem. 

                I would strongly recommend you trying to use online storage more in your daily routines.  Everyone in the school system already has a Google account so give Google docs a try and back up all of your work to the cloud.  It’s better to have your files backed up in more than one place because one day your computer will crash.  In the cloud its safe, easy to access, and share.  Try the cloud today!