| | May 20168IN MY OPINIONLearning Analytics--An Emerging Field for Data CollectionSeek to Purchase Cloud ServicesAgility and flexibility are key to success in educational technology and service delivery. We must move quickly, but we also need to make sure that we are efficient and effective. Students expect us to use their tuition dollars wisely while enabling and advancing their education. Cloud computing allows higher education institutions to have more options in service delivery. We've found that, on our campus, online specialized applications that-are coupled with analytical expertise, offer the most effectiveness. Cloud storage and backups allow us to grow quickly but we've found the entry costs to be an obstacle. There's a lot to consider as we move from hardware and other capital expenditures for physical storage and backup systems, to operational expense for online subscriptions for storage and backup services. University funding and budgeting practices do not necessarily support that shift, but likely will change over time. As a strategy, we seek to purchase cloud services that offer new capabilities and greater expertise at a lower cost. If the cloud services or solutions are packaged with analytical specialists, who provide utilization and improvement roadmaps, we find the solution more valuable.By Theresa Rowe, CIO, Oakland University
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