Cloud computing represents a new paradigm for composing and delivering products and services. While most of the products and services delivered today are business oriented, educational products – such as courses, seminars and other can also be delivered the cloud way. Under the cloud computing paradigm the browser is used as the gateway. Every request from the user and every service and its features are routed through the browser.
For instance many of the Google products that involve editing instruct the browser to save user document periodically. This and any such user-required and user-friendly features are built into the products. Thus user is spared from dealing with unnecessary information. All such information is abstracted into the cloud system – service or product. There are various products that demonstrate this approach
Learning deliverables such as lessons, lectures, notes etc can be composed stored on cloud platform and can be delivered to the learner machines or learning spaces such as classroom and study room directly. Even learner assessments elements such as seminars, quizzes and more can be delivered using cloud resources. The components required to build and manage a cloud course may vary according to specific needs of a course. In general the applications used in composing and administrating a cloud course include utility computing, software as service, platform as service, web services, managed services and integration services.
For instance, a cloud course may use an utility computing such as Google for education, software as services such as Google Docs (example) , Blogger (example) , platform as service such as Google Appspot (example) for building a course and deliver it.
Cloud computing may be new term and as such confusing to new user. Sometime people wrongly compare it with utility computing, grid computing or autonomic computing. Although each one of them deserves their own standing, none of them are same as cloud computing.
Cloud computing course may come in many forms and cover a range of content and topics. A first course in cloud computing may include general computing concepts related to cloud computing. These courses are useful for all professionals but more especially suited for computer technicians and students in computer and information technology related courses. Such an introductory course is recommended to business students.
