Learning is Changing. Here Is How Cloud Technology Can Help Your School Succeed Through Change.

While schools have only recently been forced to explore the concept and practicality of remote learning, cloud technology and cloud computing have been dominating (and largely defining) the IT world for close to a decade. Businesses are embracing cloud technology as their teams become more geographically separated, their budget grow tighter, and their priorities fluctuate on a daily basis. There is no doubt that cloud technology brings many benefits to business from retail to law, but can it help in the education sector as well? Absolutely! Here are a few ways that cloud technology can help your school succeed through all the changes currently taking place in the learning environment.

All About the Bottom Line

If you are an educator, you are already intimately familiar with how much education budgets have been cut in recent years. There simply is never enough money to go around, and teachers and administration are left dipping into their own pockets to buy supplies and things they need for the classroom. Add to that the pressure for STEM education, and you have probably woken up in cold sweats just imagine how you will give your students the education they deserve on a shoestring. 

Cloud technology can help your school in a big way because it is cheaper than traditional software installation. You can purchase cloud-based software on a subscription plan or even a pay as you go plan in many instances. Not only are the licenses usually cheaper but paying monthly helps your school avoid the need to make a single, large lump sum payment to purchase software licenses for all students.

In addition to software, cloud computing can help save your school money on hardware as well. By utilizing virtual machines in the cloud, your school can purchase much cheaper devices for your students. They will not need powerful PC’s to perform their necessary work, not will you need the servers to keep them going. They will simply need a reliable device to access the Internet. Once on the Internet, they can access their virtual machine that can have as much horsepower as necessary. Since most of your computing power is now virtual, you can save money by only paying for what you use. It is a win-win for your students and your school’s budget.

Access Schoolwork from Anywhere

One of the most dramatic shifts for both students and teachers this school year was the switch to remote learning. While the questions of access and user experience for students remain open, cloud technology allows learning to reach students in the safety and comfort of their homes. What’s more, they won’t risk losing their assignments when switching between different devices (when Mom needs the laptop for another Zoom call) or transferring their hard work from one flash drive to the next. 

Many software providers still haven’t caught up with the diverse levels of comfort with technology in students and teachers forced to study and teach remotely. A frequent complaint is the less than optimal user experience with the inability to upload assignments, load a page, or guidance on how to perform required action. More sophisticated cloud-based applications are designed for remote work and have already solved for these issues. With cloud technology, learners can easily store and retrieve their school materials and collaborate in real-time. For those schools that offer classes in CAD drawing or Adobe Photoshop, the added benefit would be that the students won’t need to worry about having this expensive software at home. If they can get online from home, they are able to access the same software that they have at school. Cloud technology truly allows you to take school with you wherever you may go.

Scalability & Flexibility

This is extremely important, especially in today’s environment. Cloud computing allows you to easily shift your IT computing resources as needed. As students may transition back and forth from virtual to traditional schooling, your computing requirements will change. Cloud solutions can easily be scaled up or down in minutes, almost completely eliminating any delays in access to the technology they need for class. This almost instantaneous provisioning of resources is a huge benefit of cloud technology that has traditionally not been available in the IT world.

Focused IT Staff

Cloud technology can also provide a benefit to your school by allowing your IT staff to focus on the real issues. When your school moves to the cloud, your IT staff no longer is burdened with many of their previous mundane tasks. They no longer need to worry about constant patching and software updates because your applications are automatically updated in the cloud. They do not have to focus as much on security because your cloud provider will handle most of that. These employees can focus their efforts on helping the teachers, staff, and students understand the technology and making sure that everyone can leverage it to the highest potential. Since they are no longer running in a million different directions, you will find that your IT staff is happier in their job and have the time to devote to fixing any problems that do arise.

We don’t know for how long we will have to deal with uncertainty and the ever-changing educational landscape. What we do know is that cloud technology is here to stay and can dramatically improve the school experience for the students, teachers, and administrators. Consider trying out cloud technology in some small way before transitioning completely. Your students and staff will be glad you did! Contact your 3nom expert today to determine the best cloud technology “test” for your school.