Silver linings
I have been using cloud techonolgy for a while without really realizing it. When this group first presented I asked my partner (the real techie in our family) what he knew about cloud computing, to get a better idea of what it was, and he didn’t really have a clear idea what it was either but had heard about it. After going through the presentation (great presentation by the way and I like the activities) and blog posts I realized I’d been using cloud technology for a long time. I use WordPress, Google docs, gmail, glogster, sliderocket and probably others that I don’t realize are cloud technologies. WordPress is my favourite as it literally took a huge load off of my back. However, I have encountered a few panic situations where our office Internet was down (it always seemed to happen on test days – hmmm. . . .). I was never worried about privacy because it was entirely links or activities for students that I had made. I didn’t feel like any hacker would gain a lot of information if they had a lesson plan on how to teach the past tense.
As I pondered the silver lining to cloud technology in school I felt data storage is both cost effective and good for your back. I really like the idea for school use, especially the technology that allows teachers to see what her students are doing on their screens. I feel like it has many benefits for schools as others have mentioned: it’s more cost effective, students/teachers have more flexibility etc. but the one I haven’t heard mentioned yet is knowledge building. Students that can see their work from previous years as well as other student’s work can keep building up that information to create something new and possibly different/better.
I am currently thinking about putting my students files on the cloud so I can access them from anywhere but am experiencing an internal battle between convenience and privacy for my students. After watching the video about Google storage systems I feel as someone had mentioned “it would be easier to rob a bank,” but I still have some doubts. Anyone want to weigh in with this internal battle?
Posted in: Week 08: Files in the Cloud
Tamara Wong 10:07 am on October 27, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I forgot to mention something that had bothered me while watching the Google videos about safety and security. The narrator of the videos kept mentioning that they don’t share your information. However, have you ever noticed the ads on the side of you gmail screen? They usually pertain to the information within your email. This suggests that they share your info with ad companies doesn’t it? How else would they have specific ads geared towards you?
Tamara
ashleyross 1:07 am on October 30, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Tamara,
I actually had the same thoughts on the ads in Gmail when I started doing research for this assignment. Ironically enough, Google was nice enough to provide a video explaining (in great detail) exactly how the ads work. You can view the article and video here: https://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6603. You can also check out the Google Dashboard (https://www.google.com/dashboard/b/0/), which provides a transparent view of all of the data that is associated with your Google account.
I think the only way for your information to be completely secure is if you have a computer that never connects to the internet (unless someone steals your computer). The moment you connect to the internet your data is accessible. You can obviously prevent access using firewalls and malware protection but someone could gain access by you simply clicking on a webpage or accessing a compromised wireless network at a cafe or hotel where the data being transferred to and from your computer can be captured using packet sniffers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_analyzer).
We also haven’t really talked about social engineering (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_engineering_(security), which is when someone is manipulated into giving up information that will allow someone to access their data. This obviously goes well beyond someone reading your Gmail and usually plays a key role in identity theft, etc.
Everton Walker 1:07 pm on October 27, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Tamara,
Great observations! That’s a great point. I don’t think our information is really secret. The same way banks take our money and lend it to others without our consent then the same is applied here. I guess they are saying it’s free storage so they can do whatever they want. I too never knew what cloud technology was about even though I was always using it. When I saw it on CNN I was thinking otherwise.
Everton
mcquaid 3:58 pm on October 27, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for the kind words, Tamara.
I thought it was rather ironic that you were having an “internal” struggle about putting files out there / “externally”.
An excellent example of student portfolios is the work done at New Brunswick’s Centre d’apprentissage du Haut-Madawaska (http://cahm.elg.ca/). The blogging (WordPress) portfolios that students keep over their years there are excellent.
hall 6:27 pm on October 27, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Tamara,
I did not know cloud technology prior to this progamme although I was using Gmail, Yahoo Mail for several years. I think security of cloud technology has been a hot topic for many people. When we are freely given something we must mindful that there can negative impacts on us. In most cases when something is given to an individual there are normally consequences. In light this cloud technology may affect negatively. Many individual are of the view that the negative effect of cloud technology is security.
jenaca 1:53 am on October 28, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I also didn’t know what cloud technology was prior to this week’s discussion. I also use Gmail and other sources of the “cloud”, however wasn’t exactly sure what it was.
I agree that the negative aspect of cloud computing is security. I believe one day, everything may be out in the open for others to see.