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Cloud Technology Applied to Writing in the Classroom Featured

Cloud Technology Applied to Writing in the Classroom Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Cloud technology has greatly impacted the business world for many years. The transition to more cloud-based services has become the norm in the workplace. Naturally, this transition has also been happening in the classroom as well. Many schools have thin IT budgets and fewer onsite integrations to consider compared to corporate IT. Transitioning to cloud services is the ideal solution for schools in many cases. Some of the biggest advantages created by introducing cloud services include a reduction in textbook expenses, hardware and software expenses, and having current information available in the classroom. Students and teachers greatly benefit from having up to date information and software available for everyone in the learning environment. Poorer schools have access to the same information and services that are available to affluent school districts. Schools enjoy the cost savings from cloud implementation by realizing substantial savings in their IT budget.

Writing is one of the subjects in education that cloud computing has had a substantial effect on. A major change to writing curriculum that has been put in practice is the use of cloud-based word processing. The application leading this change is Google Docs. Google Docs is a cloud-based word processor by Google that allows for real-time editing. Being able to create and edit documents in real-time allows teachers to expand the scope of their teaching to interactive lessons.

One application of Google Docs is an exercise where students are asked to read and then provide feedback on the material. A specific example is asking students to brainstorm in a few sentences the character Dill in Chapter One of To Kill a Mockingbird. The students enter their responses and the document can be projected in front of the class. The answers in the shared document allow input from all students and provide a starting point for discussion of the character from different perspectives. Requiring interaction from all students keeps everyone engaged in the exercise. It also allows more introverted students to share their ideas, when they may have otherwise not.

Google Docs can also be used to change the workflow of composition writing. The traditional way that English composition is taught involves students scrambling to complete their assignments by the due date. In turn, teachers scramble to mark up the completed assignments and then return them to their respective owners. With Google Docs the revision process can begin at the very start of the rough draft and continue until the completion of the paper. Teachers can comment and suggest revisions throughout the writing cycle.

The future of cloud computing in the classroom holds endless opportunity for reading, writing, and collaboration among students and educators. Existing applications like Google Docs will continue to add features that expand possibilities in education. Technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality will move beyond infancy in the classroom to everyday teaching tools. The future of cloud computing in schools will certainly continue to grow from consumption to interaction among students, teachers, and others well beyond the walls of the classroom.

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Craig Gehrig

Craig Gehrig is a systems administrator with Rainbow Resource Center, an online retailer of educational materials in Peoria, IL. He is also the founder of Vanova IT, a security research and IT solutions provider. In his spare time, he can be found on the golf course and spending time with his wife Vanessa and their two children- Sasha and Craig.

https://twitter.com/CraigGehrig

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