Head in a Cloud
This past financial year has seen significant government funding to Australian schools in the area of technology in the form of the National Secondary School Computer Fund (NSSCF). Schools across all sectors had to make significant decisions about budget expenditure to facilitate, in the words of the current Australian Government, an “Educational Revolution”. The NSSCF was promptly renamed the “Digital Education Revolution” (DER). Educational discussion groups revealed that many schools used this budget stimulus to play catch up and invest heavily in computer laboratories or switch to the popular laptop model. The changing landscape of technology use in the educational context denotes that Australian schools are in a transitional phase and the current trajectory of technologies would appear to suggest that capital investment in traditional technology infrastructure that complies with an existing model is fraught with the inherent risk of redundancy.
Nineteenth century education left a lasting impression on the modern classroom. Even to this day, students sit in rows facing the front while a teacher dispenses knowledge. With post-modern education teachers have become inventive with furniture, forming clusters for group work or a perimeter square to facilitate discussion. Cutting edge theory and the recognition of the knowledge economy have seen educational institutions following the lead of many creative organisations by adopting some degree of an educational café culture, a “convivial place where we relax and feel free to share views and explore ideas” (Loader, 2010). Unfortunately, in most instances this has been tentative in approach, limited to a low couch or a bean bag in the corner. The permeation of a café culture into the educational landscape is hindered by stagnancy or the traditional slow growth of institutions. There is comfort and trust in familiarity; however, these traits are forged slowly over time, whereas technology and its exponential growth dictate a faster momentum of change. How will the delivery of what is taught change to facilitate the transformation of our learning environments?
Cloud computing is an indeterminate term used for software-based services delivered over the internet. While it is a new term, services such as hotmail have been involved in this form of technology almost since the public Internet’s inception; more recently, most Internet users would be familiar with the products and services being developed by Google for example: Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and Google Analytics.
Recently, the New South Wales Department of Education began the process of transferring 1.3 million school students to a Google Gmail system (MIS Financial Review, 2010) (LeMay, 2010), a trend already common in the tertiary sector. Cloud computing has gained popularity because of the delivery of practical software solutions such as anti-virus, presentation software, web design tools and online learning portals. The significance of this shift is that in all likelihood, software developers will move to a subscription model of software ownership, negating the need for software to be installed on a user’s computer. All processing and, in some instances, storage of data and networking will be handled or outsourced by the software company.
Cloud-based technology can ensure an organisation becomes more flexible. Rather than purchasing and commissioning new hardware and applications to support each new venture, (storage) capacity can be rented as required. (Grayson, 2010)
Coupled with the Australian Government’s pending National Broadband Network and its promise of greater bandwidth, this would signify an opportunity for educational organisations to shift away from traditional school computing laboratories. In North Carolina, Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Centre recently polled 895 technology stakeholders and critics in a survey where 71 per cent agreed with the statement:
By 2020 most people won’t do their work with software running on a general-purpose PC. Instead, they will work in Internet-based applications such as Google Docs, and in applications run from smartphones. (Quitney-Anderson & Rainie, 2010)
Emergent technologies similar to the Apple iPad can be adopted as the need for powerful localised processing would be nullified. This tool would then function as the student’s personal computer. They can also use it to take notes, record lessons and store digital textbooks in a 500 gram device. This offers a significant saving as the digital text counterparts are significantly cheaper due to publishers passing on the reduction in publishing costs. Schools could also significantly divest themselves of costly servers, excess computers and data storage. This technology facilitates portability, collaboration, creativity, and innovation more so than any before it. The most comparable technology is the laptop model.
Committing to a laptop model at this late stage requires significant investment in infrastructure and professional staff to maintain it. It still requires the school to expend capital on data storage, managing leasing plans, servicing and replacement considerations. Therefore, investing in wireless infrastructure, professional development for staff and the refurbishment/development of the campus to exemplify the educational application of future technologies would be a considerably wiser decision than to commit to an entirely new model as a stepping stone for change. Brisbane Girls Grammar School currently uses a hybrid technology model utilising a combination of desktop, laptop, net book and portable devices. This model best suits our needs as a learning community as it is low risk, adaptable to technology change and representative of technology in our current society.
Even the most conservative futurist prediction regarding technology within education by 2020 involves infinite interconnection in student-centred creative environments with ubiquitous yet non-intrusive use of technology. This involves all stakeholders having the confidence to break free of traditional technology models and be willing participants in change. It is not an educational revolution we need, rather an evolution.
Mr S Skillen
References
Loader, D. (2010, Feb 10). The Reflective Principle – Cafe Culture. Teacher .
LeMay, R. (2010, June 24). NSW schools dump outlook for Gmail. In MIS Financial Review. Retrieved July 18, 2010: http://www.misaustralia.com/viewer.aspx?EDP://1214270475399
Quitney-Anderson, J., & Rainie, L. (2010). The future of cloud computing. Elon University. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.
Grayson, I. (2010, June 22). Risks and Rewards in cloud computing. In The Australian. Retrieved July 12, 2010, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/the-hub/risks-and-rewards-in-cloud-computing/story-fn4hs56q-1225882469170