Cloud Computing in Higher Education: A snapshot of ...

Cloud Computing in Higher Education: A snapshot of Software as a Service Akinlolu Olumide Akande

Jean-Paul Van Belle

Department of Information Systems University of Cape Town Cape Town, South Africa [email protected]

Department of Information Systems University of Cape Town Cape Town, South Africa [email protected]

Abstract—Cloud Computing increases the flexibility and access of educational users to a wide range of educational resources. This includes access to infrastructure, software, hardware, and platform at any time in any place provided there is internet access. The users of cloud computing in higher educational institutions include students, lecturers, administrative staff, faculty staff, developers, programmers and researchers. Among the different cloud service models, software as a service (SaaS) is the most common service model used by higher educational institutions. As a result, the effect of SaaS on education can be serious and can impact education either positively or negatively. In this paper, we explore the use of SaaS in South African higher educational institutions with the intention to determine whether SaaS is a viable option for higher educational institutions. This paper also aims to identify the benefits and limitations of SaaS in higher educational institutions. Keywords—cloud computing; higher education institutions; adoption; SaaS; South Africa

I.

INTRODUCTION

Higher educational institutions (HEIs) are faced with the need to be innovative in order for them to remain competitive. There is also a need for HEIs to offer their students quality education so that they can be well equipped for the job market after graduation. As a result, there is a need for software and applications that could be used in training students and improving communication among members of HEIs. These software and applications are often expensive and some HEIs are unable to afford them due to the high price [9]. HEIs are therefore seeking alternative ways to procure these software and applications at affordable price [10]. Cloud Computing (CC) has the capability to help eradicate this problem by providing HEIs with needed software and applications at little or no cost. CC will also provide HEIs with the opportunity to focus more on other activities like research and teaching [11] because issues with the software and applications will be taken care of by the service providers. CC is the provision of computing resources such as software, hardware, infrastructure and platform to users over the internet on a pay as you go basis. 978-1-4799-4998-4/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE

These resources are provided by a service provider who takes the sole responsibility of owning the infrastructure and servicing and maintaining them as necessary thereby reliving the users of the burden of buying their own infrastructure and servicing and maintaining them. As a result, users are able to focus on their core business activities and are able to perform better. The characteristics of CC includes on-demand selfservice which allows users to access and use the needed resources without any interaction with the service provider; broad network access which allows users to access the resources from a wide range of resources such as desktop computers, laptop, phones, ipads etc.; resource pooling which allows the service provider to allocate and reallocate resources such as storage, processing and bandwidth to a large number of clients based on demand; rapid elasticity which allows users to increase or reduce their request for resources based on their needs; and measured service which allows the service providers to be able to monitor the clients usage of resources and be able to charge them based on the usage [1]. II.

SERVICE MODELS

CC has three main service models which are based on the type of resource being offered. These are Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). A. SaaS SaaS provides users with access to applications over a wide range of devices through a program interface or a thin client such as web browser over the internet [1]. Users are able to access these applications at any time in any place and are able to continue from where ever they stopped the previous time [7]. Because of the possibility of accessing course content anytime and anywhere, knowledge sharing can be improved among users in HEIs [14]. B. IaaS IaaS provides users with access to computing resources such as storage, processing and networks over the internet [7]. This allows users to be able to run applications on and save their data on the provided resources without having to worry about the management and maintenance of the resources [1].

C. PaaS PaaS allows users to deploy their own applications onto the cloud and gives them control over their applications [7]. The service provider is left with the responsibility of managing and controlling the underlying infrastructure such as servers, networks, storage and operating systems [1]. Although the three service models are used in higher educational institution, the focus on this paper is on SaaS because it is the most common service model among higher educational institutions. III.

DEPLOYMENT MODELS

Just as there are service models, CC also have deployment models. These are private cloud, community cloud, public cloud and hybrid cloud. A. Private cloud In a private cloud, the cloud infrastructure is dedicated for use by a single organization with different divisions such a university with different faculties and departments. The university or a service provider owns the infrastructure. The university can manage it themselves or let the service provider manage it for them. The infrastructure can be either on premises or off premises [1]. This deployment model gives the university more control of the infrastructure and data because it is owned and used exclusively by the university. B. Community cloud In community cloud, the cloud infrastructure is dedicated for use by two or more organizations with similar goals and objectives [1] [7]. For example, one or more universities or a service provider can own, manage and use the cloud infrastructure. The infrastructure can be in one or more of the universities that makes up the community. It could also be at a service providers premises or some part of the infrastructure could be in one or more of the universities while the remaining part could be at the service providers’ premises [1]. C. Public cloud In a public cloud, the cloud infrastructure is dedicated for use by the general public. It could be used by individuals, businesses, government organizations and any one from the general public. It is owned by the service provider who controls the infrastructure [1]. D. Hybrid cloud. Hybrid cloud is a combination of two or more deployment models. For example, a university could use private cloud for their sensitive data and use public cloud for their less sensitive data [1]. IV.

BENEFITS OF SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

SaaS offers many benefits for higher education institutions and it has the capability to improve the learning process in HEIs. Some of the benefits SaaS offer HEIs include:

A. Any time, any place access Students, lecturers, administrative staff and other cloud users in the institution can access the cloud from any place at any time and continue their work without losing any data. This will assist them in completing their tasks on time [2]. For example, students can now continue with their assignments at home or wherever they are provided they have internet access. As a result, they will be able to meet their deadlines. B. No installation is needed by the institution The time needed for installation and upgrades of software and applications could be used for other important tasks as the service provider does all the installations and upgrades [5] [10]. C. Cost reduction HEI can save the money needed for purchasing and licensing of software and applications. The money needed for maintenance could also be saved and used for other important tasks [2] [5]. D. Ease of use Cloud service providers endeavor to make their applications and software easy to use because of competition with other providers as users would prefer less complex applications to more complex ones. This makes it easy for users to be able to understand and use cloud applications and software with little or no training [3]. E. Improved collaboration and knowledge sharing among institutions Students, lecturers and other cloud users in institutions can share knowledge and ideas easily in a community cloud. This will assist them in keeping up to date with other institutions [3]. F. Little time to set up The time to set up or launch the cloud service and be up and running is fast because there is no need for installations by the users. This means that they can start using the services almost immediately after subscription [3] [5]. G. Scalability The number of cloud users in an institution can be increased or reduced at any time depending on the institutions requirements. This helps the institutions to maximize the use of resources and only use and pay for resources that are utilized [3] [17]. V.

LIMITATIONS OF SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

A. Dependence on the internet The dependence of cloud on the internet is a limitation as any problem with the internet would affect service availability [4] [8]. As a result HEIs users need to ensure that their internet connection is fast, reliable and accessible anytime they need to access cloud services.

B. Data lock in and reliance on service provider There is a possibility that the users will not be able to migrate to other service provider if they are not satisfied with the current service provider [8]. This leads to over reliance on the service provider and this could affect the quality of cloud service if the service provider is underperforming [4]. C. Lack of standardized price model Cloud pricing models have not yet been standardized and service providers have different prices and different ways of billing users [17]. If the users do not conduct thorough investigations about the providers pricing model, they could end up selecting an expensive service provider. D. Security issues Security is one of the biggest challenges with cloud adoption [8] [15]. It is believed that security is one of the three main issues in CC adoption in HEIs. The other two issues are performance and availability [11]. The data stored and shared using the service providers applications may be accessed by an unauthorised person. As a result, it is necessary for users to ensure that the service providers have stringent measures to protect their data and information [4] E. Legal issues Depending on the deployment model, legal issues are an important consideration [8] for HEIs when adopting SaaS. HEIs should understand all the legal issues involved with the different locations where their data is stored and the service providers as well as users are located as different countries or regions have different legal requirements [4]. A possible way to ensure that HEIs know what actions to take in case of a breach by the service provider is to ensure that such actions are individually negotiated and agreed upon and written in the service level agreement (SLA) [13]. F. Customization and Integration issues In some cases, it might be difficult or impossible to integrate cloud applications with in house applications [17]. HEIs need to investigate how easy it would be to integrate their in house applications with cloud before selecting a service provider. Some service providers also provide applications which are customizable to the needs of the users while customization is difficult with other service providers’ applications. Proper understanding of a user’s customization needs is very important in order to select a cloud application that can be customized to meet the needs of the users [4]. VI.

institutions [6]. Some of the most popular SaaS applications used by HEIs include A. Microsoft Office 365 This SaaS application provides users with facilities to send and receive emails and perform office documentation. It also provides users with tools to effectively manage communication and meetings [6]. It can be used by students, lecturers, faculty members, administrative staff, researchers and developers and all other users in the institution. B. Salesforce.com This SaaS application provides users with facilities manage communication among HEI stakeholders. It also provides facilities to manage student and alumni information. Features to perform real time analytics, mobile communication, student recruitment, team collaboration, and application development are also available on this application [6]. C. Google big query This application allow students, lecturers and researcher perform analysis of large volumes of data [6]. D. New Relic This SaaS application is used to monitor applications running in the cloud. It could be used by students, researchers, lecturers and other members of the institution except for administrative staff [6]. E. Rack space email This SaaS application provides facilities such as web mail, notes and calendar. It also provides facilities to manage contacts and set up meetings. It is available for use by students, lecturers, faculty members and all other stakeholders in the institution except for developers [6]. There are several tasks and activities which students, lecturers, researchers and other members of an institution can perform using SaaS. Some of the tasks include uploading and downloading of tutorials, assignments and tests. Tasks such as send emails, setting up meetings and data analysis can also be performed using SaaS [2]. Fig. 1 shows users of SaaS in higher educational institutions.

SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The use of SaaS is increasing across several industries and HEIs are part of the increasing adoption of SaaS. Many HEIs are already realizing the benefits of these SaaS software and applications. SaaS provides HEIs with different application software, programming environment databases, software for managing email, antivirus, middleware and firewall [6]. SaaS vendors like Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and Saleforce.com offer various educational software and applications for educational This research was sponsored by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa

Faculty staff

Students

Researchers

Lecturers

SaaS

Admin. staff

University Management

Fig. 1: Typical Users of SaaS in Higher Educational Institutions

VII. SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE IN SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS In South Africa, there are currently twenty three (23) public universities and fifty (50) further education and training (FET) colleges [12] [18] [19]. Many of these institutions have limited resources and are unable to provide their students with all the necessary software and applications required for their course [20]. As a result, they are looking for alternative ways to acquire these software and applications. SaaS can provide these institutions with software and applications at an affordable price [10]. Although CC has some limitations, its benefits are more than its limitations [7]. SA HEIs can further reduce cost by using community cloud which will allow them to share resources [21]. As a result, they will derive immediate benefits such as cost reduction, quality improvement, fast updates and integration of new technologies [10]. In SA HEIs, software and applications such as email, operating system, PeopleSoft, and Microsoft office are used by most members of the institution. Some software and application such as Google Apps for Education are available to SA HEIs for free. It is made up of Google mail, calendar, talk, docs, sites and video [15]. IBM also has cloud academy which is a collaborative global community that was set up with the aim of advancing the development and deployment of CC technologies in educational institutions providing services from early childhood through higher education [16]. This research found that most South African HEIs are aware of SaaS and are mostly using public and hybrid cloud with none using community cloud. This is consistent with the findings of [12]. In South African HEIs, SaaS is commonly used for student management i.e. admissions, registration, enrolments, bursaries, graduations, and alumni. SaaS is also used for administrative systems such as human resource (HR), customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain, finances, payroll, and asset management. SA HEIs also use SaaS for learning management system (LMS), business intelligence and reporting tools, email and office productivity tools such as word or excel [12]. Although the awareness rate of SaaS among South African HEIs is high, the adoption of on premise software which requires physical installation is still more popular than SaaS because of lack of fast and affordable internet services. The most common SaaS ERP system among South African HEIs is Oracle PeopleSoft. Office 365 is also widely adopted by SA HEIs. The following section would discuss results of the interview with students from one of SA HEIs that uses Office 365. VIII. INTERVIEW WITH STUDENTS USING OFFICE 365 In an interview with students from a South African HEI that is currently using Office 365, all the students reported that Office 365 has improved the way they communicate and carry out their school activities. Some of the students said that saving and retrieving their data is easy with Office 365. They also mentioned that they are no longer afraid of data loss or inconsistency because data can easily be retrieved when using Office 365.

The students also noted that they are able to print assignments from home or anywhere at any time. They also noted an improvement in email communication on campus. The grammar check in word from Office 365 also assists students in writing essays that are grammatically correct. One note feature of Office 365 assists students in organizing their assignments and documents. The students also mentioned that Office 365 provides tools such as Mathematics ad in and Chemistry ad in which assists them in solving equations. Students are also able to merge documents using the document merge feature in word. Other notable improvements mentioned by the students include the functionality to review recorded audio and video files. Students are also able to work in teams using SharePoint which allows every member of the team to see any updates or changes made by a team member in real time. This is especially useful for researchers because they can work on research projects without necessarily being in the same physical location. Students are also able to chat or hold web based conferences with other students. Microsoft excel available in Office 365 is also used by students for analysis and it allows students to present the results of their analysis statistically and graphically. The advanced design tools available on Office 365 also assist students in setting up presentations. In general, all the students interviewed mentioned that they have experienced an improvement in the academics as a result of the ease of doing things using Office 365. Although students from the SA HEI interviewed seems happy with Office 365, it is worth noting that there are other SaaS applications such as Goggle Apps that offer similar features like Office 365 and comparing them would assist HEIs in selecting the right application that would be cost effective and at the same time provide them with all the needed features. IX.

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK

In this paper, we discussed the use of SaaS in SA HEIs. The benefits and disadvantages of SaaS in HEIs were also discussed. Some of the benefits include cost saving, accessibility and improved communication. SaaS was found to be a viable option for HEIs because it allows them to focus on teaching and learning as the installation, upgrades and maintenance of the software and applications are done by the service provider. SaaS also assists HEIs to reduce cost and improve access to resources. The security issues with SaaS have made HEIs to be cautious about their adoption of SaaS. It is important for HEIs to ensure that necessary resolution is provided in the service level agreement in case of a security issue. In order to mitigate the security risks, HEIs can adopt hybrid cloud which will allow them use private cloud for sensitive data and public cloud for less sensitive data. There are several free SaaS offerings from different cloud providers for students, lecturers and other members of HEIs. It is advised that HEIs try to first adopt the free offerings before subscribing for the paid offerings in order to determine if the service provider is competent enough to deliver on agreed SLA. This research found that SA HEIs are not currently using community cloud and therefore recommends that SA HEIs need to adopt community cloud because of its capability to

improve communication and collaboration among SA HEIs. In future as more and more cloud services are adopted by HEIs, there should be standard SLA’s that will help reduce the issues with SaaS adoption such as security and legal issues. In future, it would also be necessary to develop a framework that could be used to determine the impact of SaaS on education. Research would also be needed to determine how SaaS is currently used in HEIs and how its use can be improved in order to allow members of SA HEIs to reap the full benefits of SaaS. Future research can also look at other SaaS applications in details and perform a detailed comparison of the different applications to assist HEIs in selecting the one that would perfectly meet their needs. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors would like to thank God for the grace to complete this paper. This work is supported by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF). We would also like to thank Chief Samuel Oladapo Akande, Mrs Florence Ajoke Akande and Nozuko Aurelia April for their advice and support. REFERENCES [1]

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