Last updated on 11 February 2025
The possibility to share files in the cloud is not new. This practice has many advantages and some disadvantages in the context of CTBTs and use in education.
Teaching students how to use these cloud-based backup and sharing practices seems essential to me today. Here are some advantages and some essential tools to bring the Cloud into your pedagogical practices.
3 + 1 reasons to share archives in the context of the school
CTBT tools that make it possible to be more creative are in full development. This site is a clear proof of the quantity and creativity of this sector. In these new practices, the use of online services to share files is fundamental.
This is for a number of reasons:
- Cloud will allow you to make an online backup secure of all work, examinations, evaluations, presentations, texts and documents.
- Sharing in the clouds makes it easier access to all your documents wherever you are and whatever computer, tablet or smartphone you have at your disposal.
- Most online backup and sharing services offer Collaborative work functions particularly well suited to group work and relationships with your students.
Three reasons among many others …e.g. saving paper. Most storage and sharing solutions offer enough free accounts for classroom use. Disadvantages there are too. Perhaps most important is the requirement to be connected in order to reap the full benefits of online services.
3 essential backup and sharing services
Again, there are countless solutions for backing up and sharing files and archives in the clouds. Here are the three most important, the three essential when choosing your solution:
DropBox
It is one of the preferred tools in the business world and the star of the cloud world. DropBox allows you to keep all archives in one place. It installs a magic folder that will save and synchronize in all fixed or mobile devices where the application is installed. DropBox also makes it easy to share a file or folder and, conversely, to collect files sent by users via a virtual box.
Google Drive
Another must-have giant in this industry before known as Google Docs. Drive is a cloud-based backup and sharing platform. Among its main advantages, the extensive integration with Google apps (text processing and spreadsheet among others …) as well as with Gmail.
The third thief also has strong shoulders and is not likely to disappear overnight (the main risk for small operators in this online backup and sharing market). SkyDrive is offered by Microsoft. This service offers virtually the same options and functions as the first two. As a parent company, SkyDrive is perfectly integrated and connected to Microsft Word (offline and online).
And what tools do you use? Which ones do you recommend?
English
I would like to know whether there are any legal problems with putting student data in the clouds.
Secure online backup of all work, exams, evaluations, presentations, texts and documents
Secured by whom? It seems to me that each school board is obliged to protect the data relating to its students …
Good evening Jean,
I really like your question, and I am also surprised that there are as few people as it bothers (for now) every time I address this topic I seem to be an alien. However, we are obliged to make it clear that the price of free is the data of the pupils.
For my part +1 for owncloud and +1 also for platforms hosted in France and subject to French law. For my part, the user must remain the owner of his data, even in the cloud or at a provider.