Cloud Computing and Work Sharing

Module 4 - SLP

The network as "somewhere else": everything as a service and the idea of "the cloud"

Prepare a brief paper describing what you've heard about how people use shared groupwork tools—any information processing activities involving the joint effort of people separated in time and/or space and sharing their common information "in the cloud." Perhaps it's based on some earlier experience of your own, perhaps on conversations with others and second-hand reports, perhaps it's just by reading about them, perhaps just on speculation projected from anything that you have heard. Describe what you've heard about utilization—benefits, problems, things to come, etc. Think about what you might be able to do if you did have full access to such tools—either taking advantage of them to do things that you might want to do, or protecting yourself against their use if you don't like them. Basically, your task here is to review what you know and don't know about such groupwork tools, and relate them to your own purposes and goals and potential behavior. Feel free to extrapolate from what you do know to what you don't know—just make it clear when you are doing so. Remember, the aim is to relate the topic to your own experiences of it, present or future. As we noted in the last module, you won't always be stuck on the fringes of the information world; being ready to re-enter it is always something to think about!

Your assignment will be graded according to the MSITM SLP Grading Rubric, which aligns with the following expectations. (To see the rubric, go to Assessments>Rubrics. Click the arrow next to the rubric name and choose Preview.)

SLP Assignment Expectations (30 points total)

Length: 2-3 pages typed and double-spaced excluding cover page and references. Each page should have about 300 words.

Assignment-driven criteria (14 points): Demonstrates clear understanding of the subject and addresses all key elements of the assignment.

Critical thinking (6 points): Demonstrates mastery conceptualizing the problem. Shows analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of required material. Conclusions are logically presented.

Scholarly writing (3 points): Demonstrates proficiency in written communication at the academic level of the course.

Assignment Organization (3 points): Assignment is well organized and follows the required structure and organization of the assignment.

Citing and using references (4 points): Uses relevant and credible sources to support assertions; uses in-text citations; properly formats references.