With the prevalence of free online ("cloud") storage solutions, schools should be making the move to storing and presenting work online. By using online solutions:
However, before schools make the shift to online, they must consider:
- Students can access their work from any where on any device, and
- Family members can then easily access and interact with student multi-modal work throughout the year, no matter where they are in the world.
However, before schools make the shift to online, they must consider:
- Redrafting policies, including Internet and Media Publishing Consent and Waiver Forms (click to download a sample), as most school Media Release Consent Forms do not address the move towards cloud-based storage and the sharing of digital content with a local/national/global audience)
- Gauging parental support before making any student work and images potentially accessible by the general public (download a ready-made Interactive ePortfolio Parent Information and Permission Form)
- The approach: Online (cloud) storage vs online presentation (e.g. blogs, wikis, websites or interactive ePortfolios).
Online storage accounts are relatively quick and easy for teachers, parents or students to set up an account linked to a student's school email address. However:
There are numerous free online storage solutions, each with various handy in-built apps and storage capacities. Some of these include:
- ICT coordinators must ensure that school email policies allow for incoming emails from external sources, to ensure that students are able to receive the account verification email
- An Online Storage Account Policy document must be drafted by schools to seek parental permission. A ready-made sample of a Google Account Policy can be downloaded here.
There are numerous free online storage solutions, each with various handy in-built apps and storage capacities. Some of these include:
Google Drive provides users with 15GB of free online storage via a Google Account:
- 10GB file size limit
- Each Google Account is linked to Google Drive, YouTube, Google+, Google Search, Google Play, Google Maps, Google Mail, Google Calendar and Google News
- A Google Drive application can be downloaded onto Windows or Mac to sync files from a specified folder
- A Google Drive app is available from the App Store for iPhone and iPad and Google Play for Android devices
- Each Google Account requires a mobile phone number during the sign-up process (incase a user forgets their password) which should be set to a parent's mobile phone number
- Videos can be hyperlinked to but cannot be embedded/streamed via html
- Download a Google Account Policy Parental Permission sample here.
Microsoft SkyDrive provides user with 7GB of free online storage via a Microsoft Account:
- 2GB file size limit
- A SkyDrive application can be downloaded onto Windows or Mac to sync files from a specified folder
- A SkyDrive app is available from the App Store for iPhone and iPad and Google Play for Android devices.
- SkyDrives can work with various Windows 8 apps and Windows 7 programs
- Microsoft Accounts can be linked to Outlook, X-Box Live, Skype and Windows 8 PCs, phones and tablets.
Box provides personal users with 10GB of free online storage:
- 250MB file size limit
- Desktop sync for Windows and Mac
- A Box app is available from the App Store for iPhone and iPad and Google Play for Android devices.
Dropbox provides users with 2GB of free online storage:
- 2GB file size limit
- Desktop sync for Windows and Mac
- A Dropbox app is available from the App Store for iPhone and iPad and Google Play for Android devices.
