Cloud Computing for Educators

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services over the Internet (“the cloud”) to offer faster innovation and flexible resources. Cloud services include servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence.

Many organizations are shifting from the traditional way of doing business and utilizing cloud computing for the cost, speed, global scale, productivity, performance, reliability, and security. Cloud Computing benefits educators as they are able to use a network of free tools in the classroom that are stored in the cloud where they can be accessed, managed, and processed from any Internet-connected device, rather than a local server or personal computer.

Who is the Cloud Computing for Educators Course for?

In today's world, a teacher’s knowledge of cloud computing is becoming more and more essential to the everyday tasks of their job - both in terms of the day-to-day administration of their duties and in the teaching of their curriculum. Creating content, finding curriculum resources, building learning activities, all the way up to the actual teaching of their lessons can all be done (and saved) within the cloud.

This course is designed to provide educators of all grade levels, with many tools to make their life as a classroom instructor:

• Less difficult
• More organized
• More technologically oriented for their students.

What will you Learn in this Course?

This online professional development course will help educators who want to learn how to use cloud-based tools to create more fun and engaging lesson plans.

Educators can gain access to these resources from any Internet device. Emphasis will be placed on projects that would be typical class assignments for any grade-level students as well as projects to aid in the organization and processing of daily duties as teachers and administrators. With the help of free tools that are available online and stored in the cloud, teachers taking this course will learn:

• The pedagogies involved in teaching with cloud computing
• How to create and use basic cloud-based word processing documents, slide shows and forms
• How to create multiple types of cloud-based presentations and create assignments for your students
• How to store and organize your cloud-based resources using Diigo or Pinterest.
• How to store and organize your files on cloud-based services such as DropBox and Google Drive

“This course was just what the Doctor ordered. It was an eyeopener, the tools that are available to make educators more proficient use the web seem to be boundless. It really pushed me to think outside the box.”

-Teacher, Pennsylvania

This course is applicable towards the Online Teaching Certificate and Classroom Technology Integration Certificate.