A Complete Guide on How Cloud Computing Can Be Beneficial for Universities & Education Sector
The future of everything is cloud, and the education sector is no different. According to a latest research, the global cloud computing market in the education sector has witnessed a compound annual growth rate of 26% in 2021 until now. To enhance productivity and improve the overall learning experience, most educators in K-12 schools, colleges, and even universities are adopting cloud computing.
With the pandemic giving rise to a steep need for online lessons, digital lesson plans, and increased focus on remote learning, cloud-based platforms are garnering more attention than ever. Most educational institutions now understand the huge benefits of moving their teaching to cloud-based environments.
Advantages of Adopting Cloud-Based Environment for Education
Enabling a cloud-based environment makes knowledge sharing enriched, empowered, and simplified. Cloud reduces the need for infrastructure, significantly reduces IT costs, improves transparency, and enables effective collaborations. Cloud-driven platforms offer better flexibility and help universities customize requirements and scale up as they grow.
Let’s look at some benefits cloud computing can offer:
1. Easy Access & Resource Availability: From lesson plans, grades, notes, course curriculum, lab notes, slides, etc., can be made available anytime with a cloud-based education platform. Tools required for teaching and learning can be uploaded easily and accessed anytime by professors and students. With a cloud-based platform, it becomes easy for users to access materials regardless of the device or internet browser.
2. Scalability: Cloud-based software helps educational institutions reduce costs and makes scaling up easier than on-premise data centers. The cloud-based approach helps manage demands as the universities grow and increase users and facilities.
3. Superior Collaboration: Cloud environments allow educators, students, and parents to stay on the same page hassle-free. It creates plenty of new collaborative possibilities. Real-time collaboration, a remote possibility, is now a reality because of the cloud-based approach. It supports better student communication while helping power up remote learning through virtual classrooms. Cloud-based environment allows universities to create teacher management portals easily. Cloud also offers flexibility to students. In case of missed classes, they can access the course material later without worrying about missing out.
4. Diverse range of Students: Cloud-based applications now makes it possible for students to finish their education. It also provides a fresh start for those students who haven’t fared well in traditional approach. Cloud-based applications also make it easy for students to receive specific training pertaining to their areas of interest that could also improve their chances of employability.
5. Eliminates Expensive Textbooks: It is no secret that university-level textbooks are relatively expensive. One more major issue is the outdated information in textbooks. Having cloud-based textbooks can resolve this issue. Digital content costs are lesser when compared to physical textbooks. This can save thousands of student rupees and create an even field for lower- and higher-income students. Another major advantage of cloud-based materials is that students can access the latest learning materials at their fingertips.
6. Reduces Hardware/Software Costs: With on-premise servers, scaling up was tough but came at a higher cost when new servers had to be purchased, upgrading server room cooling, electric which resulted in higher maintenance costs. With a cloud-based model, universities do not face overcrowding and other overhead expenses from on-premise servers. It frees up valuable server room space for more admissions, allowing universities to grow.
7. Data Security: The world of education is no different when it comes to securely handling assets. Data, images, information, and updated content needs to be stored securely. Cloud-based model enables user access control allowing only people with the right credentials to use the course materials. It also gives freedom in terms of allowing multiple people to access content simultaneously. A cloud-based approach also allows students to share their assignments with professors in an easy and trackable manner. It also helps teachers create specific groups and assign projects where students can work collaboratively and effectively.
Before switching to a cloud-based model, it is always good for your administrators to weigh the benefits against the needs of the organizations and look for outcomes that best support the learning environment.
Cloud computing has become the need of the hour. With the right cloud provider, you can take your university learning to the next level and reach newer heights. Cloud-based model promotes a better learning environment for students and create a collaborative environment for professors.
As an Advanced Consulting Partner for AWS, Rapyder has high-level cloud competencies, with consulting services offerings for edtech and educational organizations to Enable cloud computing adoption, migration, and overall digital transformation, while ensuring the experience is hassle-free and profitable. To Know more about Rapyder’s Cloud Solutions for Education Industry, click here.
