Overview of Cloud Computing and its Application in E-Learning

Abstract

As an introduction, the goal of this chapter is to provide an overview of this book. This book is designed to provide a comprehensive coverage of cloud computing and its application in e-learning. This chapter first provides some technical background about e-learning. It reviews the progress of e-learning along with the improvement of information technology before introducing the history and recent developments in cloud computing. Following the introduction of cloud computing, this chapter describes how e-learning can benefit from cloud computing. Next, the chapter reviews open source products in cloud computing, research areas in cloud computing as well as the recent development in cloud based e-learning. Finally, there is a discussion about the future trend in the cloud computing, followed by conclusions.