Digital transformation in higher education.

DISSERTATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................1
Title..............................................................................................................................................1
Background..................................................................................................................................1
Aim..............................................................................................................................................1
Objectives....................................................................................................................................1
Research Questions......................................................................................................................2
Work done and Results................................................................................................................2
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................3
Structure of the Report.................................................................................................................3
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW..........................................................................................3
Overview......................................................................................................................................3
Theme 1 Importance of Cloud Computing and different kinds of cloud computing services....4
Theme 2 Overview of Data as a Service (DaaS) Cloud offering................................................5
Theme 3 Importance of DaaS in High education........................................................................6
Theme 4 Challenges and vulnerabilities associated with Data as a Service cloud offering and
their impact on organizations.......................................................................................................7
Theme 5 Ways in which vulnerabilities associated with Data as a Service (DaaS) Cloud
offering can be reduced...............................................................................................................8
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..............................................................................9
Overview......................................................................................................................................9
Research type...............................................................................................................................9
Research design.........................................................................................................................10
Research approach.....................................................................................................................11
Research philosophy..................................................................................................................11
Data collection...........................................................................................................................12
Literature search strategy...........................................................................................................12
Inclusion and exclusion criteria.................................................................................................12
Ethical considerations................................................................................................................13
Research limitations...................................................................................................................13

Reliability and validity..............................................................................................................14
CHAPTER 4 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS................................................................................14
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS....................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................17
PROPOSAL...................................................................................................................................17
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................17
Background................................................................................................................................17
Aim............................................................................................................................................18
Objectives..................................................................................................................................18
Research questions.....................................................................................................................18
LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................................................................19
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................22
PROJECT PLAN (GANTT CHART)...........................................................................................24

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Title
Data as a Service (DaaS) Cloud offering
Background
Emerging technologies have brought various kinds of changes within education system.
This technology advancement has helped in bringing transformation within education system
digitally. This digital transformation has brought various kinds of changes of universities/
colleges and for students as well in many different ways (Bond and et. al., 2018). Digital
transformation has introduced various kinds of new technologies and services that can be used by
colleges and students and changed ways in which students and exams were conducted. Cloud
computing is a part of digital transformation that has occurred in higher education. It has worked
as a revolution for higher education. There are various kinds of cloud- based services that are
being frequently used by students because of which today education and learning not limited to
textbooks and notebooks only. One of the most important cloud- based service which is used in
higher education is DaaS Data as a Service (Rof, Bikfalvi and Marquès, 2020). This Data as a
Service is not only used in education industry but it is used by various organizations operating in
different sector. This service has made it much easier for universities and students to store and
share information/ data and knowledge with others easily. But there are various kinds of
vulnerabilities that are associated Data as a Service Cloud offering. This dissertation will be
focusing upon identifying main vulnerabilities associated with Data as a Service.
Aim
This dissertation has majorly focused upon a specific cloud offering which is Data as a
service (DaaS). Main aim that has been focused upon in this dissertation is “To analyse
vulnerabilities associated with Cloud offering of Data as a Service (DaaS)”.
Objectives
Major research objectives that have been focused upon in this dissertation are:
 To analyse importance of cloud computing
 To analyse different kinds of cloud computing services
 To evaluate ways in which Data as a Service (DaaS) Cloud offering is used.
 To analyse importance of DaaS in High education
1

 To evaluate vulnerabilities associated with Data as a Service cloud offering and their impact
on organizations.
 To identify ways in which vulnerabilities associated with Data as a Service (DaaS) Cloud
offering can be reduced.
 To recommend appropriate ways though which usage of Data as a Service (DaaS) Cloud
offering can be increased and vulnerabilities associated with it can be reduced.
 To identify gaps in this research and suggest future results.
Research Questions
Major research questions that this dissertation has answered are as follows:
 Why cloud computing is important?
 What are different kinds of cloud computing services?
 How Data as a Service (DaaS) Cloud offering is used?
 Why DaaS is important in High education?
 What are different kinds of vulnerabilities associated with Data as a Service cloud offering
and their impact on organizations?
 What are different ways in which vulnerabilities associated with Data as a Service (DaaS)
Cloud offering can be reduced?
 Recommend appropriate ways though which usage of Data as a Service (DaaS) Cloud
offering can be increased and vulnerabilities associated with it can be reduced.
 What are main gaps in this research and suggest future results.
Work done and Results
In this research secondary data analysis has been done for successfully achieving main
aim and objectives. In this dissertation importance of digital transformation in higher education
has been discussed. Ways in which new and advance digital technology in higher education is
being used and transforming higher education has also been discussed briefly. Then, in this
dissertation a brief overview of importance of cloud computing and different kinds of services
offered by cloud services providers has been discussed. All the secondary data has been collected
from different sources though articles, journals, books, online portals and many more and using
appropriate literature search strategy data was collected. In order to identify vulnerabilities
associated with Cloud offering of Data as a Service using exploratory research design method
required data has been collected and analysed using thematic data analysis method. Results of
2

this dissertation has further been used to identify and recommend ways in which vulnerabilities
associated with Cloud offering of Data as a Service can be reduced and can be effectively used in
higher education.
Conclusion
From chapter 4- discussion and findings it has bene identified that there are various kinds of
security issues or vulnerabilities that are associated with Cloud offering of Data as a Service in
higher education. Discussion clearly explains that it is important for organizations to focus upon
identifying and implementing ways though which these restrictions can be reduced so that it can
be used in an appropriate manner.
Structure of the Report
This Dissertation consist of five main chapters.
Chapter 1: Introduction- In this chapter main aim and objectives required to be achieved will be
discussed and a brief background and overview of research topic will also be provided.
Chapter 2: Literature Review- In this chapter various sources of secondary data have been
reviewed in order to develop a base for the research and collect required information to be
analysed in order to answer main research questions.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology- This chapter helps in identifying main research methods that
are used in this dissertation with reason because of which those methods have been used.
Chapter 4: Discussion of Findings- In this chapter analysis of secondary data collected is done
though thematic data analysis method.
Chapter 5: Conclusion and recommendations- This chapter concludes final results of dissertation
that have been identified and then on the basis of those results final recommendations to
overcome those vulnerabilities have been identified.
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Overview
This literature review will focus upon reviewing all the secondary data collected from
different sources in an appropriate manner. This literature review will help in understanding
main research topic in a proper and accurate manner and will further help in gaining
understanding of cloud computing, its services in a proper manner. It will help in understanding
what is Data as a Service, ways in which it is used and different challenges and vulnerabilities
associated with this service in a proper and effective manner.
3