Is the Cloud the Answer to Tech Problem?

“Up, Up, and Away”, an article by John K. Waters in the January 2010 issue of THE Journal, describes how use of cloud computing “saved” the Minnesota Online High School (MNOHS). Administrators, who had been swamped with copying and distributing CDs to students, say cloud computing ended their tech nightmare. With cloud computing everything from the software to student work can be online. The idea of having access to apps online (in the cloud) is appealing to many, although not all, tech folks and school administrators. It could save money on equipment and software and avoid the worry of student loss of assignments, hard drives that don’t work, and applications not being on a computer, etc. Access to the cloud could be through inexpensive computers and digital devices such as iPods. If you are interested in reading more about cloud computing, check The Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing; Google Giving Its Cloud to the Masses; Don’t Worry, Be Scrappy: Good, Cheap Tech for Schools, Cloud Computing and More; and 8 Ways Cloud Computing May Change Schools.  When considering a move to a cloud, you’ll need to carefully consider the following: will what’s available through the cloud do what you want it to do for your students, teachers, parents, and administrators; will all your data be secure; and what will it cost?