Digital change is inevitable and so is the spread of cloud computing. The cloud is the future of education. With an array of industries around, the world is identifying the power of cloud-based applications and many industries are making use of it. The education sector is also hitting upon cloud technology to make knowledge sharing augmented, authorized, and streamlined. The technology also enhances the workflow efficiency in organizations. Along with document conversion, organizations are also adopting cloud storage facility for storing valuable data. For that, it’s better to rely on any experienced provider of outsourced solutions, which can enhance your organization’s infrastructure effectively.
According to a recent market report from Rapid News Network, cloud computing is increasingly being seen as an effective approach to relieve the pressure of the educational sector’s sustainability issues and budget restrictions. Cloud computing becomes a more obvious choice for educational institutions as it provides users access to storage, applications, and a vast number of other resources from almost any device. Mobile computing device usage is also increasing. The report also says that cloud computing presents itself as a viable tool in the scenario owing to the several monetary and flexibility benefits it provides.
According to Market Expert24, cloud computing in the education sector market is estimated to grow from USD 5.83 Billion out of 2015 to USD 15.02 Billion by 2024, at an expected compound yearly development rate (CAGR) of +20% from 2019 to 2024.
Similarly, another market research report by Technavio finds that, the global cloud computing market in education will see a compound annual growth rate of 26% through 2021 as educators in K-12 schools, colleges, and universities try to enhance productivity and improve the overall learning experience. The cloud guarantees that students, educators, personnel, guardians, and staff would have access to basic data utilizing any gadget from any place. Some other top ways in which the cloud is changing the face of the education sector include the following:
- Convenience and Easy Access: Cloud-based applications can be accessed by users from anywhere and with any device, making it convenient and easy to use. For students, it gives the opportunity to study by connecting to a virtual classroom anytime, anywhere, and with any device. The user is not required to download any software or upgrade data to the cloud in order to use. The only requirement is a device that can access the internet. Moreover, it also makes it possible for every student to keep up with the progress of the class, despite not being able to physically attend the place of study.
- Highly Secure: Your information entered in the cloud is not effectively available for anybody. The content, data, pictures or anything you store in the cloud normally requires verification – so it is highly secured.
- Save on Expensive Textbooks: It’s a known fact that university-level textbooks and ones that recently hit the markets with new data and information are rather expensive. Textbooks have become so costly that the cost has outpaced the price of virtually everything else in education, including tuition, which, obviously results in many students refusing to buy them.
With the growing trend of digitization, many textbooks are digitized through document scanning services. Cloud-based textbooks are an effective solution to this problem as digital content tends to be a lot less expensive than printed content. This allows lower-income students to get access to the same quality of learning material as higher-income students.
- No More Outdated Learning Materials: Many textbooks that may be decades old, contain outdated information (which can be wrong information). With the shortage in school budgets, many districts especially in low-income areas, can’t afford to replace these outdated resources. For instance, the average social studies book in elementary and junior high schools are seven to eleven years old, which means that the world maps in these books are no longer correct.
Here comes the benefit of cloud technology, where cloud-based materials are easy to update in real time so that students always have access to the latest learning resources. It eliminates the need to purchase expensive printed textbooks and by using digital content instead, schools can reap substantial savings.
- Cost savings: The education field is one of the worst delinquents when it comes to paper usage or more appropriately, paper waste. Many educators are concerned about the carbon footprint and environment. The cloud facilitates the paperless movement which is rapidly gaining support worldwide, with many schools choosing to transform classrooms into paper-free zones.
Adopting Cloud Computing is another initiative towards paperless movement. Cloud-based administrations can help educational organizations cut down their expenses and accelerate the utilization of new innovations to meet developing edifying needs. They can promote a better learning environment for students, and create a better working environment for educators. Students also don’t need to purchase external storage devices as there are plenty of companies, like Google, that offer free cloud-based storage.
- Easy accessibility and mobility: Educational institutions and students don’t necessarily have to own expensive computers or laptops to access cloud-based study materials, as they give the opportunity to study by connecting to a virtual classroom anytime, anywhere, and with any device. In the cloud, lesson plans, coursework, and digital textbooks can be run on internet browsers from any inexpensive Smartphone or tablet, making them easy to access and versatile. Moreover, students and educators needn’t worry about losing important data due to loss of device, breaking of CDs or not having the information loaded properly; students can enjoy access to academic information anytime, anywhere.
The cloud also gives educators the ability to work from home in order to complete their work. According to a 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey report from The 74, over 60% of teachers are highly-stressed out and describe their mental health as “not good.” This could go a long way toward helping to relieve their stress, which ultimately creates a better learning environment. According to dsm.net, instructors can use the cloud to grade tests and homework assignments, develop course curricula, enter grades, and respond to parents from the comfort of their home when it’s convenient for them.
- Ability to reach more diverse students: Cloud computing can provide new possibilities for students with learning disabilities or shyness, or for those who are not served well by traditional education systems. For instance, before online education, the options for adult students who didn’t finish high school were very limited – but now these students can earn their diploma or GED online. That is, since education has moved online, it helps students from overcoming all such obstacles, taking each and every student on the path of pure knowledge and makes it more possible for adult students to finish their high-school education.
Cloud computing is an exciting development in today’s education system. The economic growth of any country is usually maintained and enhanced by education in terms of quality and level, which makes effective utilization of such advanced technologies highly significant. Experienced outsourced solutions can ensure smooth transition of physical data into digital data and proper storage of data in the cloud. With the latest IT solutions, businesses can transfer and access data with ease, and make constructive use of it.
