College studies on cloud nine

A Palmerston North high school has shifted its studies into the clouds.

Staff and students at Queen Elizabeth College can now access school resources from anywhere, on almost any device, because they have shifted all their work to the cloud, an online mode of computer storage.

Principal Chris Moller said most schools in New Zealand worked on computer servers, but Queen Elizabeth College was the first in Manawatu¯ to move everything to the cloud.

It was about getting the students into the digital world and keeping at the forefront of technology. ‘‘We’re not so worried about what might go wrong as to what the opportunities are,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s more about just using technology to give them more tools for learning at no extra cost.’’

The school’s servers were due for renewal and it was going to be quite an expensive process.

Students can now access information and lessons, and teachers can prepare and finalise lessons and teaching notes from anywhere they have internet access.

‘‘We believe devices and IT are important but it’s not everything,’’ Moller said. ‘‘Kids still need to read and write. It’s nice to have that without it taking over.’’

Students will be able to do their lessons online and can file their work even if they’re in another part of the country or can’t attend class. They can also work across different platforms, be it Google or Microsoft.

The school’s head of technology, John de Burgh, said the bonus was students had access to the cloud 24-7.