The ongoing COVID-19 crisis is creating irrevocable damage around the world. But it has also made every sector more innovative and look for new ways of sustainment and growth. The education sector is no different. To move forward and enable continuous learning, the entire education ecosystem—students, teachers, parents, and education providers–are collectively ensuring to stay committed to new ways of education. They are now adapting to online learning models to ensure a way forward.
In the pre-pandemic era, many universities were already following distance education and online learning models to bridge the learning gaps and make education available to students worldwide.
The Education sector is considered one of the forward-thinking markets open to embracing new technology. Even before COVID-19, according to a report published in 2019, online education services were growing rapidly and expected to become a $1 trillion industry by 2027.
Though accurate figures are a bit of a far fetch at the moment, there has been a steep increase in educational institutions adapting to online learning models with the help of Cloud due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Cloud Empowers Online Learning – Here’s how –
Cloud is emerging as the most trusted platform that facilitates this biggest shift in the education sector. For example, many collaborative learning methods run entirely on cloud platforms. Universities are now open to adopting various cloud consumption models—public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud (which gives the best of both worlds!).
Though remote learning as a concept has been around, scalability was a big challenge for the model. During COVID, remote learning had to be available to many students, regardless of location. Cloud ensures that remote learning systems can be scaled up rapidly, allowing hundreds or thousands of students to access information simultaneously.
Cloud resolves many issues faced previously with respect to scaling, infrastructure, and accessibility– all at once. It provides limitless usage, and the storage can be upgraded as required, giving institutions the freedom to scale up or down according to the current demand. Thousands of students can log in at the same time, submit assignments and participate in discussions in a seamless manner.
Leading universities are leveraging cloud to build a digital foundation without disruption and help enable continuous learning. Educational institutions with solid network infrastructure in place could handle the influx of traffic and manage the heavy load of thousands of logins at the same time with ease.
Clearing the myths around leveraging the cloud for online learning
The initial concerns around security are slowly fading, as cloud is now considered secure and allows users to maintain privacy and confidentiality with its custom sharing options. The data leak was a major constraint in remote learning models. With Cloud, the users or the owner of the material has complete control over how to share and give specific permissions and keep the data safe. Cloud technology has top-notch security in terms of data being in encrypted form, thus allowing only specific users to have access.
Educators are continuously asked to upgrade and move to an online teaching model. To help ease such transitions, many cloud models are currently in the market best suited for universities worldwide. Cloud services move across geographical barriers, allowing students and educators to access content relevant to their field of interest and grow in their careers.
How Amazon Web Services (AWS) is helping Edtech startups to unleash the potential of Cloud Technology in the areas of Online Learning (E-Learning)
Edtech startups, especially, are banking on cloud technology now more than ever. Today’s biggest innovations in education are fuelled primarily by cloud-based platforms.
AWS, for example, has introduced an EdStart program that empowers startups in the education sector to grow with their technology architecture. Many startups like Enguru, ClassPlus, and Eckovation have signed up with AWS to ensure they come with the most relevant innovation. In the current market conditions, the cloud allows startups to stand up new systems highly cost-effectively quickly.
In a way, cloud is bringing some level of democratization to the ecosystem by removing many technology barriers around accessibility. It allows teachers and students to access information from their homes’ safety without being left out amidst the rush to transition to remote learning models. For example, some cloud technology enablers like AWS Educate are used by more than 200 countries. It enables 10,000 educators across 2400+ educational institutions to reach thousands of students and stay connected.
With cloud, education institutions can now provide a level playing field to all learners—exactly what education aims to achieve!
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