Airplane Mussings: Cloud and Education

I am stuck in the airplane on YMM runway waiting to head to Calgary. Apparently the captain cannot see his way due to heavy fog. While waiting for one hour, I interacted with some LinkedIn articles and I’d like to record my thoughts here.

1. There is a move against cloud computing. I agree with the reasons (i.e security and cost of tracking confidential information on the uncontrolled cloud). However I disagree on the perspective. Cloud computing provide considerable savings (through effective real time collaboration and platform free potential and geo-independence), so, I think the shootings should not aim at the Cloud technology but at the security standards and the controls implemented in the IT world. COBIT et al should start revamping their security codes to accommodate for cloud potential. I will raise the issue on the right platforms once I return.

2. There is a talk, at least in LinkedIn circles, that we should revamp the use of technology in education. I agree as well, but, again, from different perspective. I think it is time to reengineer education itself to meet modern technology advancement rather than modify technology to meet old traditional educational models. It is time to move education from the “outdated” Industrial Age perspective (I.e. Mass production, one-to-many teaching, social/economic focus philosophies) into a more modern, post knowledge age mentality (I.e. Collaborative individual growth, Many-to-many learning, individual focus, connected knowledge..). There has been a lot of good reforms ideas and forward going attempts. However, in my opinion, education circles should reframe and reengineer education by visiting and redefining the principles upon which should drive the reform, then work on the values (the set of whys). The principles of the industrial age educational system focused on meeting socio-economic goals first, then mould the individual to meet these goals. The principles of the post knowledge educational system should focus on the individual first, then the socio-economic factors. In my opinion, which I will do a research to prove it, this will yield a happier work force, increased productivity , improved economical results. And since the workers are happy, the society will face prosperity.

Let’s see if I am right.