Introduction

What is cloud learning? 

Cloud learning, or cloud-based learning, is a learning experience that takes place in the virtual world.

Through cloud learning, users can access services like resources, apps, databases, emails, and file services using cloud computing; in other words, data is kept on an external server. To display and interact with the material, an electronic device with an active internet connection is all that one needs. There is no license required to use the services and the user is only charged for the services they use. Cloud computing is the term for network-based resource, program, storage, and information sharing and it consists of two parts: the front-end and the back-end. 

The user interface is found in the front-end area may include access to apps, resources, and data stored in the cloud. The cloud environment's application, platform, and infrastructure are found in the back-end segment. The back-end is responsible for information security, a vital component to cloud computing technology, as it houses servers, computers and databases.  The way cloud computing operates is by dividing up  work among numerous resources. Local PCs do not use a lot of resources when running programs and instead, a network of servers in a cloud environment handles the task. The user's hardware and software resources are thus diminished.

Why cloud learning?

In this digital era, business sectors and industries are required to embrace the power of technology  in order to remain relevant. The same goes for education. The Cloud is one of the most accessible modern tools for all types of enterprises and in education, the learning process can be significantly enriched for the following reasons:  

• Accessible educational tools: there is no need for a physical textbook. Resources can be uploaded remotely. There is no need to stress about digital storage of the materials.

• Collaboration: students can work together on the same task without having to be in the same physical space. Teachers can also collaborate together in this same way. 

• Learning facilities: marginalized students who may not have access to traditional facilities may have the chance to benefit from cloud computing.  Investments in these communities by local stakeholders must be prioritized though, as it would be naive to assume that students will have Internet or computer access.  In addition, working professionals who are unable to attend a physical university space can benefit from cloud learning since the asynchronous times can work with their schedules.

• Flexible and efficient processes: both teachers and students can benefit as tasks, activities and syllabi can be stored and reused. The dissemination, use and retrieval of information can be done in a fraction of the time as in the traditional physical, paper and pen classroom. 

• Cost efficiency: as long as cloud learning is properly implemented and managed, it can cost less than the traditional institution. The would be a reduction of hardware use, and upkeep, as well as future purchases. Money will be saved by reducing the use of paper and  ink from photocopying machines. 

• Secure data: cloud servers store data securely, meaning there is no need for in-house data storage servers. Information in the cloud is backed-up, and protected from natural disasters and outages. 

Educational institutions are taking note of the aforementioned advantages and are deciding to modernize their systems. In 2020, there was a market value of $2.2 billion for global cloud computing and this number is projected to hit $8.7 billion by 2027.

Activity #1 - Padlet - Cloud Learning and You!

What are SaaS, PaaS and IaaS? 

SaaS stands for Software as a Service, which is a model where software applications are delivered over the internet on a subscription basis. With SaaS, users can access software applications through a web browser or a client, without having to install or maintain the software themselves. 

Examples of SaaS applications include email services like Gmail, project management tools like Asana, and customer relationship management software like Salesforce.

PaaS stands for Platform as a Service, which is a model where a cloud provider delivers a platform upon which users can develop, run, and manage custom applications. With PaaS, users don't have to worry about the underlying infrastructure, as the cloud provider takes care of it. 

Examples of PaaS offerings include Google App Engine, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Elastic Beanstalk.

IaaS stands for Infrastructure as a Service, which is a model where a cloud provider delivers virtualized computing resources over the internet. With IaaS, users can rent virtual servers, storage, and networking infrastructure on a pay-per-use basis. The cloud provider takes care of the physical infrastructure, such as servers and data centres, while users have control over the operating system, applications, and storage. Examples of IaaS providers include AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

*Intelligent tutoring delivered through the cloud to students is an example of IaaS.