AWS CloudRoom for Schools

For Teachers and Facilitators

AWS CloudRoom is an educational program, specially designed to help teachers introduce the cloud and cloud technologies to students.

How it works:

  • AWS CloudRoom is pedagogically modelled to work seamlessly with you as you teach
  • AWS CloudRoom uses story and discovery to help you equip your students with the new skills needed in tomorrow’s technical world
  • Each episode focusses on how we can apply our knowledge of cloud technologies to solve real world problems by introducing your students to some of the foremost emerging technologies needed to succeed in their future careers

Useful Resources for Schools

Teachers know their students and classes best, and with these resources, we aim to assist you on your cloud learning journey. The Handbook provides a handy guide to the CloudRoom series and how to get involved. You can download it by clicking the ‘Download here’ button below. And, if you are still uncertain about what the cloud actually is, download our guide ‘What is the Cloud?’

School FAQs

What is AWS CloudRoom and what does it offer my school?

AWS CloudRoom is an educational initiative powered by AWS InCommunities, and involing AWS Volunteers, that provides students aged 9-14 with learning experiences focused on the Cloud and emerging cloud technologies.

Our mission is to ignite young people’s curiosity about technology and show them a world of possibilities for their future in line with the significant growth in global demand for tech professionals.

What date and where is AWS CloudRoom?

AWS CloudRoom offers workshops globally across all countries where AWS has infrastructure, which includes the United States, Canada, Ireland, England, South Africa, India, Singapore, and Australia.

You are able to register for a workshop at any time of the year, and the AWS CloudRoom team make sure you have a clear understanding of the program ahead of your workshop.

What languages will AWS CloudRoom be available in?

AWS CloudRoom workshops, including supporting materials, will be available in Portuguese (Brazil), French Canadian, Hindi, Telugu, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Bahasa (Indonesia), Japanese, Arabic, Spanish (ES), Spanish (Latam), Marathi, Malay, German, Italian, Hebrew, Korean, Mandarin, and Thai.

How can I join AWS CloudRoom?

Simply register your school or class via our registration portal. In your registration form, you can tell us what dates you would like to take part in AWS CloudRoom, and also provide us with contact details so we can enroll you and your class or school. Along with providing you with the opportunity to share dates for when you would like to take part, the platform provides you with information on the program and you will automatically receive updates regarding the program and your workshops. If you are based in LHR or DUB where matching and pairing will be available, you will receive updates of your match and guidance on how to confirm the exact date and time of your workshop with volunteers.

How does AWS CloudRoom work with your school’s curriculum?

AWS CloudRoom helps schools as they pursue their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) curriculum. We aim to assist teachers by organising AWS CloudRoom workshops during the course of the school year. AWS CloudRoom workshops link real world scenarios impacted by cloud technologies, with practical classroom-based activities. The topics covered in the AWS CloudRoom series are:

Applications of the Cloud and Cloud Computing
The Origins of the Cloud
Introduction to Robotics
What is Artificial Intelligence?*
How Data Centers Make All this Possible?*
The Cloud and Biodiversity*
*Episodes coming soon - Q4 2023 / Q1 2024

How will the workshops be structured?

For ease of delivery, each AWS CloudRoom workshop will be structured as follows, with the first two sections led by the teacher or facilitator:
Learning through story - the AWS CloudRoom animated episode, featuring our very own heroes: “Chief”, “Builder’, “Analyst” and “Coder”.
Learning through discovery - completing a specially designed practical cloud-based activity.
Learning from experience - 'My journey to here' story. This is led by the AWS volunteer.

Teachers don’t need to be cloud experts to get involved. Each workshop will include “teacher-notes” for the class, additional materials that support the workshop topic as well as general guidance and options for running the workshops. As a result, teachers have access to the complete workshop step-by-step guide or, making the workshops easy to follow and run.

Following on from AWS CloudRoom, teachers will be invited to participate in our AWS CloudRoom evaluation study. The purpose of the evaluation is to identify any improvements or enhancements we can include in future AWS CloudRoom episodes.

How is the CloudRoom course structured?

AWS CloudRoom is presented in a series of six one-hour workshops, through which students will discover a wealth of different aspects related to emerging cloud technologies. The topics covered in the AWS CloudRoom series are:

Applications of the Cloud and Cloud Computing
The Origins of the Cloud
Introduction to Robotics
What is Artificial Intelligence?*
How Data Centers Make All this Possible?*
The Cloud and Biodiversity*
*Episodes coming soon - Q4 2023 / Q1 2024

Each AWS CloudRoom workshop offers the possibility to welcome an in-person cloud career story, hosted by an AWS CloudRoom volunteer. The AWS volunteer aim is to inspire students by giving personal insight into careers within cloud industries and to demonstrate that tech is open to everyone, regardless of background and skills.

Is there any preparation required in advance?

Teachers will be supplied with all the materials needed to host the AWS CloudRoom workshop. Teachers will know best how to set up their classroom. Use of a laptop or other similar devices will be needed and we will have helpful tips on-hand to assist with this.

AWS CloudRoom materials and resources are free, they will be available online and for download all year round, where they can be used for school presentations and other classroom-based activities. Teachers may make multiple copies to suit their own school’s needs.

What equipment is required to facilitate the presentations?

All you will need is broadband and access to video conferencing software. A projector and or screen would be preferable also, to enable all students to engage together optimally.

How will we find your volunteers?

Schools and volunteers will be matched within their local communities, subject to regional availability. In your registration form, you can choose days in which you would want to participate in AWS CloudRoom. The AWS CloudRoom team will make every effort to pair your school with AWS volunteers.

If your match is successful, we will then connect you with the volunteer to arrange a precise time for your workshop(s).

How do I share my school’s availability?

In your registration, you are asked to select multiple days where you are available to run AWS CloudRoom in your classroom. The days that you select is a guideline and states your availability for when you can take part in AWS CloudRoom. Within the given days you have selected, the AWS CloudRoom team will make every effort to match you with volunteer(s) who are available within that given day. Each volunteer, can do up to two workshops each and both workshops will take place in the same day.

How many classes can I request to join AWS CloudRoom?

You are able to request up to 4 classes to take part in AWS CloudRoom. At the stage of registering you're submitting a request for a number of classes, though these are not yet confirmed as the AWS CloudRoom team aims to match every class with an AWS volunteer in your region. We will endeavor to match as many of your classes with volunteers, and also offer individual workshops with pre-recorded AWS volunteer cloud career stories when regional demand does not enable the team to match every requested workshop.

What is the matching process?

For schools based in the wider London and Dublin areas only.

Once you are successfully matched you will receive an individual email for each of your matched volunteers that will be running workshop(s) with your school. This will detail their contact information and the day that they are available to come into your school, to support one, or two workshops, depending upon your request. Please note that volunteers can run up to two workshops, so if you have requested multiple classes to take place, your school may receive up to two volunteer matches confirmations.

Then, the volunteer will reach out to you to arrange the exact time of your workshop(s) taking place. The onus is on the school to connect with your volunteer(s) to confirm the time for each session that fits within your work schedule and their school timetable.

What happens after I completed all six AWS CloudRoom workshops?

AWS CloudRoom is just the beginning. Participating students who are interested to learn more about future opportunities will be connected to other fascinating AWS activities and programs through the AWS CloudRoom platform, allowing them to continue their AWS learning journey. The next phase offers communities the ability to take part in AWS Girls Tech Day, AWS Academy courses and wider AWS educational resources.

What is AWS InCommunities?

AWS InCommunities was established by the community engagement team for AWS Infrastructure Operations with the aim of making a positive impact around the world, specifically in the regions where we build and operate our global infrastructure. Find out more information about AWS InCommunities and its long-term, innovative programs here.

Who is the AWS Programming and Events team?

The Programming and Events team launches long-term, innovative programs that will have a lasting impact in the regions around the world where we work, live and raise our families.

How can we contact the AWS CloudRoom team?

You can reach the team by emailing cloudroom@amazon.com