Cloud computing at a cross road: quality and risks in Higher Education

Ali, MB

Abstract

The key determinants of cloud computing provide a convincing argument for HEIs and its stakeholders to adopt the innovation. These benefits re- flect the essential quality characteristics of the cloud, such as Broad network Access; Measured Service; On-demand Self-Service; Rapid Elasticity; and Re- source Pooling. However, there are also risks associated with the cloud, lead- ing to non-adoption, such as Confidence, Privacy, Security, Surety and Trust. Understanding the impact of these factors can support multiple stakeholders, such as students, lecturers, senior managers and admins in their adoptive de- cision of CC in their respected institutions. Using the Multiview 3 (MV3) methodology, a research model was proposed to explore the key qualities and risks that determine the adoption or non-adoption of CC by UK HEIs from multiple perspectives. An exploratory qualitative study was con- ducted on 32 University stakeholders across 2 UK Universities. The find- ings suggest that security, privacy and trust are the key determinants to non-adoption as participants felt that the cloud cannot fully guarantee the safeguarding of sensitive information. Determinants to cloud adoption in- clude improving relationships between students and teachers via collabo- rative tools, in addition to proposing cloud apps for mobile devices for ac- cessing virtual learning materials and email securely off-campus. In con- clusion, University stakeholders are still at a cross-road when it comes to cloud adoption, but future advances of the cloud may help to steer their decision to adopt this innovative technology given its overwhelming po- tential.

Citation

Ali, M. (2019). Cloud computing at a cross road: quality and risks in Higher Education. Advances in internet of things, 9, 33-49. https://doi.org/10.4236/ait.2019.93003

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 2, 2019
• Publication Date: Jul 5, 2019
• Deposit Date: Sep 9, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 9, 2022
• Journal: Advances in Internet of Things
• Print ISSN: 2161-6817
• Electronic ISSN: 2161-6825
• Publisher: Scientific Research Publishing
• Volume: 9
• Pages: 33-49
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ait.2019.93003
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.4236/ait.2019.93003