Pupils in the clouds: Implementation of Google Apps for Education
Maria Lindh, Jan Nolin, Karen Nowe Hedvall
2016
First Monday
The study focuses on the implications of affordances identified in Google Apps for Education (GAFE), by strategic staff within a Swedish school organisation, with responsibility for schools in around 30 municipalities. A complex picture emerged, where GAFE was perceived both as a neutral, well-functioning tool and as a means of educating in partly new ways. Furthermore, the study shows that GAFE, despite its characteristic of being a non-generative appliance, still can be used in creative ways.
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... The implementation of cloud technology, such as GAFE, endorses a tunnel-vision affordance that downgrades more nuanced perceptions of the different technological, economical, and ethical aspects of the technology. Studying GAFE, different tensions of power emerge: Google vs. the school, IT professionals vs. teachers, management vs. teachers, teachers vs. pupils, Google vs. pupils. Lindh ). In recent years, the implementation of IT in education has been investigated using the theory of affordance (e.g., Bower, 2008; Kreijns, et al., 2002) , which is also applied in this study. Studies of perceptions of cloud computing in education are rare, especially studies that concern other levels than higher education. One exception is Lim, et al. (2015) , who investigate Swedish principals' perceptions of cloud computing. GAFE is a prominent example of the broad array of IT grouped under the umbrella concept of cloud computing. Cloud computing is characterized by Internet-based delivery of software, platform and infrastructure services. Although the introduction of cloud computing into organisations entails dramatic consequences, not only for individual and collective practices, but possibly also for the structure of the organisation itself, there have so far been few constructivist studies conducted in this area. This is disconcerting as even consultants connected to the cloud computing industry often frankly state, in the IT press, that this technology will dramatically change how information and IT is perceived, managed and used in organisations. For instance, a central claim is that users can facilitate their own needs for IT software and storage, without the involvement of IT experts, as IT has become a utility (Carr, 2008) . Literature within the IT press (e.g., Stuart and Bromage, 2010) stresses the different affordances of cloud computing. Some authors underline economic advantages as an important driving force, claiming IT costs will decrease. More moderate experts commonly argue that security and privacy issues are at stake. They also fear decisions to implement cloud computing will solely be based on the technical standpoints of IT departments, without any involvement from business functions and others using cloud computing in their daily work. Lindh . Her general interest lies in information management. Her current focus is on the complexity and co-construction of information technology within organisational settings. Direct comments to: maria [dot] lindh [at] hb [dot] se Jan Nolin is professor at
doi:10.5210/fm.v21i4.6185
fatcat:ep4lhrbas5gonevtzkqp5r6naq