Method 3

I find myself most closely aligned with Jenny Levine’s thoughts in her article regarding using the "cloud" in libraries.  On the one hand,  I am very excited about cloud computing.  My school district switched to Google Apps for teachers this year and I have provided training for teachers. I love being able to access my Google documents from home and school.   I have recently taught workshops on Prezi and Glogster.  Today I worked with students to use Glogster for a sophomore English assignment. They loved it!  As they were leaving, I reminded them, "You can work on this from home!"  I too, use online banking and online bill pay, but I am concerned about privacy, lack of training, and loss of access.  Many of the reader responses to Doug Johnson’s blog, “Can you live in the cloud?” voiced my apprehensions. 

Several years ago when I was working on my Library Science Masters Degree,  my professor made a profound and possibly prophetic statement.  She felt that many of the Internet services initially provided for free would later (after we were dependent) require subscriptions.  Many of the web 2.0 tools we use with students provide basic services for free but constantly promote their paid subscription services.  What if Google decides to charge us to host and access our documents, presentations, forms and spreadsheets? 

Like Jenny, I am hesitant to encourage patrons to create accounts with each "latest, greatest" web 2.0 toy without explaining and instructing them on the use and ramifications of cloud computing. I am concerned that students will not heed our warnings and publicize information harmful to themselves or others. One thing I really like about Glogster is the ability for the teacher to create an account and then add student accounts under her master account.  The students are not providing any personal information and can remain completely anonymous if desired.  

Last week, we lost electricity in my home and some of our schools for 2 days.  It was an eerie realization of how little I could accomplish without Internet access.  I didn’t even know what bills to pay because I receive electronic copies only!