Dive Brief:

• Research from Technavio shows cloud computing is expected to grow over 26% annually through 2021, with lower ownership cost, greater analytics use and growing mobile learning adoption cited as primary factors, according to EdTech: Focus on K-12.
• K-12 in particular has seen cloud usage grow alongside the influx of devices into daily learning due to its ability to increase access via productivity suites and virtual desktops.
• Via these cloud-based platforms, districts have been able to create digital environments where students can receive feedback in real-time and blended learning programs can be easily rolled out across multiple schools.

Dive Insight:

Simply put, the cloud has made it much easier for schools to simplify their digital learning programs. With a virtual desktop, for example, a school or district can make sure students have access to the same operating system from just about any device, and that any digital resources work for everyone. That's also a prime benefit of productivity suites like G-Suite or Microsoft Office 365, as they ensure everyone is working in the same format on files that can be viewed across all devices in use.

Aside from the cost savings — especially on software licenses — it's a significant time- and headache-saver for school and district IT leaders. In BYOD environments in particular, ensuring all students have access across a variety of devices can potentially become a logistical nightmare. With a cloud-based desktop or productivity suite, however, there's one less hurdle with students being able to access the same tools regardless of device.