Journal #1 Computing in the Clouds (NETS III & V)

Johnson , D. (2009). Computing in the clouds. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(4), Retrieved from Johnson , D. (2009). Computing in the clouds. Learning & Leading With Technology, 37(4).

This article is about cloud computing and how it can be used in schools and also save schools money. Cloud computing is a internet based system that allows people to use word processing, e-mail, presentation software, and other usually hard-drive based programs solely through the internet, allowing them to have smaller hard-drives and less upkeep on their personal computers. There are many networks out there that provide cloud computing; Google and Microsoft are two of the major ones that are recognizable to most people. It talks about the benefits of this system for school districts because schools would be able to save money on upkeep of software and on the software programs itself. Students would be able to log on and access their essay or presentation from any computer with Internet access and would not have to have that specific program on their computer, saving space on their hard-drive.

How will parents react to the fact that their child is consistently online along with all of their work?

It may take some getting used to but eventually most people will be apart of a cloud computing system. The privacy agreements are very strong and if it is through one of the major companies like Google or Microsoft then the agreement and browser is trustworthy and a known name in the majority of households. The fear of having everything on the Internet is very understandable but it’s definitely going to be the future of computers and technology and individuals’ information is secure in their personal accounts, like in e-mail sites.

How would I use this in my classroom?

This would be very useful in a classroom because then the students would not have to write their paper on a Word document then e-mail it to themselves and open it at home. Some kids don’t have the same processing system and others don’t have any or some just aren’t compatible. The cloud computing system would ensure that all students with Internet access would be able to open their documents without the hassle of converting files to match the destination processing system.