Cloud Computing: a Solution to Improve E-Learning in Higher Education

The emergence of any new technology in education gives rise to optimistic predictions of significant advances in learning. One of these technologies is an electronic learning system that often needs extensive hardware and software resources to provide a rich learning environment, that requires a great deal of cost to provide these resources. Cloud computing is the perfect solution for providing these resources at the lowest cost and providing rich services in e-learning. The purpose of this research is to study the technology of cloud computing and its advantages and limitations in order to improve the quality of education and learning. For this purpose, by studying the sources of recent years by library method, first while introducing cloud computing and its various services, its advantages and limitations in e-learning have been taken into account and then its solutions for improving the quality of higher education were studied. In the following, after discussion about mobile cloud services in education, the best model of using these services in e-learning and its success factors have been introduced. Based on the analysis, it was found that the best model for providing such services is hybrid cloud computing model and success factors in this case include the integration of education technology, teacher modeling, creating learning community, selecting Web 2.0 devices and softwares, technological and education support, and building sustainable engagement.