One of the great debates of the growing Internet presence and the proliferation of technology into the general population’s consciousness can be summed up in one question: where is its place in the classroom?
In a world where the growing consciousness is collected online and is ready at anyone’s fingertips, it can be an invaluable tool in furthering education. More than that, it is irresponsible for a classroom to act as though it is not a part of the world we live in. As the world is adapting and learning to function with technology, students need to learn to function as part of this society.
As Dr. Steve Paine, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, recently stated – of the jobs are youth will one day have, 65 percent are likely to not have even been thought of yet. The question is no longer, “Will the growth of technology impact students,” but, “how can we best prepare them for their part?”
Cloud computing is playing an integral part in this development. Implementing cloud into the classroom opens up a variety of previously sealed-shut doors – not the least of which is providing a centralized hub for all information that is pertinent to a specific class. Each class, teacher and subject is unique unto itself, and one of the benefits of cloud computing solutions is the customization necessary for each circumstance. Additionally, its low cost can help make it more readily available for situations in which funds might not be readily available.
This directly translates to evening out the educational atmosphere. Cloud computing offers the chance for school systems to interact with each other, sharing resources and working towards the goal of developing equality in education.
And the benefits of cloud computing in the classroom don’t stop at content distribution; it gives a group of students a place to congregate. Using it and becoming familiar with it teaches them how to interact with it. This is something that is necessary, as it is undoubtedly an aspect of life that will become commonplace in any working environment.
