getting your head into 'the cloud

Education Graduate Students' Association (EGSA)/ Association d'étudiant.e.s diplomé.e.s d’éducation (AÉDÉ)

Presents:

Tech Talks by Rebecca

Getting your head into ‘the Cloud’

About Rebecca

• PhD Candidate• Technology adoption and mobile learning• B.Sc. in Computer Science• MA in Distributed Learning (Distance Ed)• Blogger

– http://rjh.goingeast.ca– http://goingeast.ca/blog

Agenda

1. Evolution of the Internet2. Changing Software Models3. Synchronous Collaboration4. File Management Services

What is ‘the Cloud’?

“Cloud computing” Data and services anytime, anywhere

Evolution of the Internet

World Wide WebTim Berners-Lee

Mosaicfirst browser

Internet Explorer

“Web Log”Jorn Barger

“Web 2.0”Tim O’Reilly

Wikipedia

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

Social Media

iOS App Store

1989 1993 1995 1997 1999 2000 2004 2005 2006 2008 2011?

‘The Cloud’

Influencing Factors

Increases in connection speedIncreases in Internet connected mobile devices

1. Changing Software Models2. Synchronous Collaboration3. File Management Services

Changing Software Models

‘The Cloud’ as a shift in Software delivery

Software as a product

Software over the Internet

Software as an App (in an ecosystem)

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Product versus service – an analogy

When you buy “Software as a Service” or SaaS, you are ‘renting’ access to the computers that run the software

Example: Adobe Creative Suite

Product: Adobe Creative Suite (CS6)Design and Web Edition

Service: Adobe Creative Cloud

$449.00 (education price) $29.99 / month (education price)

9 Creative Suite Applications All 24 Creative Suite Applications

Version CS6 Latest version of all applications

Although Adobe Creative Cloud is sold as SaaS, the applications do not run in the Cloud. You still need to download the applications to your computer.

Example: Virtual Campus

Product: Blackboard Vista (Web CT) Service: Blackboard Learn

Hosted on uOttawa servers(uOttawa owns and maintains servers)

Hosted at Blackboard(Blackboard owns and maintains servers)

Support provided by: 1. uOttawa Blackboard2. uOttawa IT

Support provided by:1. uOttawa Blackboard2. Blackboard

Governed by Licence agreements Governed by Service Level Agreements (SLA)

Example: Qualitative Analysis Tools

Product: NVIVO Service: Dedoose

$670 $12.95/month

Windows Windows or Mac

Application based Browser based

Data on your machine Data in the Cloud

Supports collaboration (shared data sets)

Synchronous Collaboration

Example

Activity: Collaborating with Google Docs

• Precursor to Google Drive• Allows multiple people to work on a document at the same

time• Requires Internet connection

Activity Debrief

• What do you think?• Do you see using it for:

– Teaching?– Research?– Collaboration?

File Management Services

File Management Challenges

• Getting files onto devices• Keeping track of most recent version• Keeping old copies• Backing up just in case

Managing Multiple Versions

If you want to access a file when you are not connected to the Internet (offline access), you must make a copy of that file for your local deviceThere is no ‘magic’ solution to managing multiple copies – just services to help you keep track of the latest version and avoid conflicts

Making changes

Two versions of the same file

Data Synchronization

Every time your device connects to the Internet - the application checks to see if you have the latest version or if you have made changes

If necessary it automatically uploads or downloads the new files

Data Synchronization may happen:

• Automatically when you connect• Only when you connect via Wifi• At specific intervals (for always connected devices)• At specific times• When something changes (e.g. you close a file)

A synchronization service also manages conflicts

Example: Dropbox

Dropbox (http://www.dropbox.com)

Activity: Dropbox

• This activity focuses on file sharing, synchronizing, and collaboration

• Dropbox also helps with file management across devices(we will cover this in the next session “Going Mobile”)

Debrief

• How did Dropbox differ from Google Docs?• When would you use one versus the other?

Workshop Evaluation

Your feedback is important!

EGSA Tech Talks by Rebecca

Tue Feb 12 Going MobileWed Mar 6 Creating your

online identityThu Apr 4 Participants’ choice

These events are free; however, donations will be accepted to support the work of

the Caring and Sharing Exchange