Collaboration in the Cloud for Online Learning Environments: An Experience Applied to Laboratories

Abstract

Nowadays, Cloud computing has become essential support for online education. Growth and interest in the massive open online courses (MOOCs) hosted on cloud, as well as the large number of students with own device (BYOD) set a favorable scenario for a new model of cooperation and interaction for online education. In this paper we present the results of collaborative work in the cloud, using Google Apps services and MOOCs, in conducting laboratory reports for the subjects of chemistry, and based on this experience we propose an architecture for platforms e-learning and mechanisms for collaborative work in cloud applied to the laboratories.

Share and Cite:

Luna, W. and Sequera, J. (2015) Collaboration in the Cloud for Online Learning Environments: An Experience Applied to Laboratories. Creative Education, 6, 1435-1445. doi: 10.4236/ce.2015.613144.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] Abrams, N. M. (2012). Combining Cloud Networks and Course Management Systems for Enhanced Analysis in Teaching Laboratories. Journal of Chemical Education, 89, 482-486.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed200160d
[2] Al-Atabi, M., & Deboer, J. (2014). Teaching Entrepreneurship Using Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Technovation, 34, 261-264.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2014.01.006
[3] Anton, F. D., Anton, S., & Borangiu, T. (2012). Educational Services in Cloud with IBM Technology: A New Model for Open, on Demand Learning in Higher Education. 2012 International Conference on Information Technology Based Higher Education and Training, Istanbul, 21-23 June 2012, 1-6.
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84866612154&partnerID=40&md5
=afce35a0aadbe01adc5794d893fd3206
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ithet.2012.6246047
[4] Bandi, K. C., Nori, A. K., Choppella, V., & Kode, S. (2011). A Virtual Laboratory for Teaching Linux on the Web. IEEE International Conference on Technology for Education, Chennai, 14-16 July 2011, 212-215.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/T4E.2011.41
[5] Bhardwaj, S., Jain, L., & Jain, S. (2010). Cloud Computing: A Study of Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas). International Journal of Engineering, 2, 60-63.
[6] Burd, S. D., Luo, X., & Seazzu, A. F. (2013). Cloud-Based Virtual Computing Laboratories. Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Wailea, 7-10 January 2013, 5079-5088.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2013.131
[7] Chine, K. (2010). Learning Math and Statistics on the Cloud, towards an EC2-Based Google Docs-Like Portal for Teaching/ Learning Collaboratively with R and Scilab. Proceedings of 10th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, Sousse, 5-7 July 2010, 752-753.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICALT.2010.120
[8] Conole, G., & Unido, R. (2013). Los MOOCs como tecnologías disruptivas: Estrategias para mejorar la experiencia de aprendizaje y la calidad de los MOOCs. Revista de La Educación a Distancia, 16-28.
[9] Cusumano, M. A. (2014). MOOCs Revisited, with Some Policy Suggestions. Communications of the ACM, 57, 24-26.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2580941
[10] Daradoumis, T., Bassi, R., Xhafa, F., & Caballé, S. (2013). A Review on Massive E-Learning (MOOC) Design, Delivery and Assessment. Proceedings of 2013 8th International Conference on P2P, Parallel, Grid, Cloud and Internet Computing, Compiegne, 28-30 October 2013, 208-213.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/3PGCIC.2013.37
[11] Doelitzscher, F., Sulistio, A., Reich, C., Kuijs, H., & Wolf, D. (2011). Private Cloud for Collaboration and E-Learning Services: From IaaS to SaaS. Computing, 91, 23-42.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00607-010-0106-z
[12] Fox, G. C. (2013). Collaboration in the Cloud and Online Education Environments. Proceedings of the 2013 International Conference on Collaboration Technologies and Systems (CTS 2013), San Diego, 20-24 May 2013, 2011-2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/cts.2013.6567250
[13] Gajar, P. K., Ghosh, A., & Rai, S. (2013). Bring You Own Device (BYOD): Security Risks and Mitigating. Journal of Global Research in Computer Science, 4, 62-70.
[14] Hew, K. F., & Cheung, W. S. (2014). Students’ and Instructors’ Use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): Motivations and Challenges. Educational Research Review, 12, 45-58.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2014.05.001
[15] Ivica, C., Riley, J. T., & Shubert, C. (2009). StarHPC—Teaching Parallel Programming within Elastic Compute Cloud. Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Technology Interfaces, Dubrovnik, 22-25 June 2009, 353-356.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/iti.2009.5196108
[16] Johnson, L., Adams, S., & Cummins, M. (2012). NMC Horizon Report: 2012 Higher Education Edition. Austin, TX: The New Media Consortium.
[17] Koh, J. H. L., & Chai, C. S. (2014). Teacher Clusters and Their Perceptions of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Development through ICT Lesson Design. Computers and Education, 70, 222-232.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.08.017
[18] Li, J., Peng, J., Zhang, W., Han, F., & Yuan, Q. (2011). A Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Platform Based on Clouds. Journal of Computational Information Systems, 7, 3811-3818.
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-80054704344&partnerID
=40&md5=0ab50db8c9e215bd1a8849dffd946a0d
[19] Margaryan, A., Bianco, M., & Littlejohn, A. (2015). Instructional Quality of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Computers & Education, 80, 77-83.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.08.005
[20] Merrill, M. D. (2013). First Principles of Instruction: Identifying and Designing Effective, Efficient, and Engaging Instruction. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
[21] Mikroyannidis, A., Rizzardini, R. H., Schmitz, H. C., & Fraunhofer, F. I. T. (2012). A Cloud-Based Approach for Personal and Social Inquiry. Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Cloud Education Environments (WCLOUD 2012), Antigua, 15-16 November 2012.
[22] Mircea, M., & Andreescu, A. (2011). Using Cloud Computing in Higher Education: A Strategy to Improve Agility in the Current Financial Crisis. Communications of the IBIMA, 2011, Article ID: 875547.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5171/2011.875547
[23] Moltó, G., & Caballer, M. (2013). Scalable Software Practice Environments Featuring Automatic Provision and Configuration in the Cloud. Researchgate.Net.
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/259357017_Scalable_Software_Practice
_Environments_Featuring_Automatic_Provision_and_Configuration_in_the_Cloud/
file/3deec52b2b599d4cef.pdf
[24] Norris, C., & Soloway, E. (2011). From Banning to BYOD: This Inevitable Shift Is at the Heart of School Change. District Administration, 47, 94.
[25] Pedreño, A., Izquierdo, L. M., Ramón, A. B., & Pernías, P. A. (2013). UniMOOC: Colaborative Work, Innovating in Education. Scientific Journal of Educational Technology, 2, 10-18.
[26] Rajaei, H., & Aldakheel, E. (2012). Cloud Computing in Computer Science and Engineering Education. American Society for Engineering Education.
[27] Sayler, A., Grunwald, D., Black, J., & White, E. (2014). Supporting CS Education via Virtualization and Packages Tools for Successfully Accommodating “Bring-Your-Own-Device” at Scale Categories and Subject Descriptors. Proceedings of the 45th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, Atlanta, 5-8 March 2014, 313-318.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2538862.2538928
[28] Sinex, S. A., & Chambers, T. L. (2013). Developing Online Collaboration Skills in the General Chemistry Laboratory. Journal of Chemical Education, 90, 1244-1246.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed300705t
[29] Unesco (2010). Cloud Computing in Education. IITE Policy Brief, (September).
http://iite.unesco.org/pics/publications/en/files/3214674.pdf
[30] Vaquero, L. M. (2011). EduCloud: PaaS versus IaaS Cloud Usage for an Advanced Computer Science Course. IEEE Transactions on Education, 54, 590-598.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TE.2010.2100097
[31] Woo, S. S., & Mirkovic, J. (2014). Optimal Application Allocation on Multiple Public Clouds. Computer Networks, 68, 138-148.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.comnet.2013.12.001
[32] Xu, L., Huang, D., & Tsai, W. (2012). V-Lab: A Cloud-Based Virtual Laboratory Platform for Hands-On Networking Courses. Proceedings of the 2012 ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, Haifa, 3-5 July 2012, 256-261.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2325296.2325357
[33] Xu, L., Huang, D., & Tsai, W. T. (2014). Cloud-Based Virtual Laboratory for Network Security Education. IEEE Transactions on Education, 57, 145-150.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TE.2013.2282285
[34] Yan, C. (2011). Build a Laboratory Cloud for Computer Network Education. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Computer Science and Education, Singapore, 3-5 August 2011, 1013-1018.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/iccse.2011.6028808
[35] Yuan, L., & Powell, S. (2013). MOOCs and Open Education: Implications for Higher Education.

Copyright © 2023 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.