Ayman E. Khedr et al./ Elixir Comp. Sci. & Engg. 89 (2015) 37231-37236 37231 Introduction Cloud computing word is actually derived from the way of the internet is often signified in network diagrams [24]. Cloud computing defines the feature given by computation resources through a computer network. As for the technique of computing, the users of computer hold all the important software and data to perform all computing operations on computation resources and files. Consequently, the users of cloud computing almost do not need to have any special background or skills for make computing on files except minimal operating system with browser and high speed Internet connectivity to access files and applications from online sources [25]. Cloud computing mainly aimed at running applications as services over the internet on a scalable infrastructure [3][5]. Many applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases and more can all be accessed from a web browser, while the software and files are hosted in the cloud. Educational institutions could have the advantage of cloud applications to provide students and faculty staff with less cost, extensive experience and productive tools [3]. However, CC has spread dramatically because of features which make it the target of most Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) but there is no comprehensible definition or standard for cloud computing that all CSPs agree upon since each provider utilizes terminology based on its own product‟s portfolio [24]. The aim of this study is to structure e-learning based CC to cope with the problems in e-learning and to improve the existing virtual learning environment system align with a wide range of services that in turns to enhance the educational process and helping to improve the VLE environment to match the students‟ needs. The rest of this paper are organized as follows: section 2 gives a study background and briefly an overview of cloud computing, e-learning and the uncertainty factors surrounding the adoption process of new technologies. Section 3 presents the different literature view and related work related to the study in hand. Section 4 presents the proposed framework for e-learning based cloud whereas section 5 presents research methodology. Section 6 demonstrates the case study survey analysis and it‟s related discussion. Finally, section 7 ends this paper with conclusion and future work. Background One of the most important characteristics of CC is the scalability which is gained by the virtualization that the cloud builds upon [17]. Without having such virtualization, the cloud could not exist in its current shape with unlimited scalability by having the unlimited resources availability, flexibility, and elasticity which save a lot of configuration, updating, and maintenance effort [11][12][13]. Cloud computing is an extension of a paradigm where the capabilities of applications are exposed as services [3]. These services enable institutions that do not have the technical expertise to support their own infrastructure to get access to cloud computing on demand [23]. Educational institutions are beginning to have the advantage of existing applications hosted in cloud that enable their end users to perform tasks that have usually required site licensing, installation, and maintenance of individual software packages [3]. Eventually, form the point of implementation view; there are different uncertainty factors affecting the successful adoption processes of a new technology. In the present research, the uncertainty factors are defined broadly as unpredictable and changeable variables/factors, the effects of which, on the adoption process of cloud computing, cannot exactly be estimated (positively or negatively). These factors can be grouped into three homogeneous categories: external, internal and technology uncertainty factors. These various factors are supporting or obstructing the adoption of a new technology such as cloud computing in this study case. Earlier studies investigated these factors in specific fields [26]. Most of these studies agreed on the following classification of uncertainty factors [26][16]: Adoption of Cloud Computing Framework in Higher Education to Enhance Educational Process Ayman E. Khedr, Sherif A. Kholeif and Shrouk H. Hessen Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Computers and Information, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt. ABSTRACT Cloud Computing (CC) becames the most promising technology to reach the advanced educational services, because it essentially provides a huge computing and storage capacities. Cloud computing provides reliable and tailored dynamic computing environments for education services. On the other side, e-learning has been realized as an efficient way of learning. The increasing number of students, services, education contents and resource as well as the way of adapting e-learning becomes problematic. As a potential technology to overcome the problems in e-learning, this study explores the potntial impacts and the measure of how the educational services can be benefited by cloud. For that purpose the study attampt to adapt a proposed framework for virtual learning system in an extended cloud computing environment. This framework can be applied everywhere where there is a need for intensive teaching and learning in higher education. The applied case study findings of implementing the proposed framework equate the study expectations, where the student‟s satisfaction significantly increased compared with the existing system. © 2015 Elixir All rights reserved. ARTICLE INFO Article history: Received: 2 April 2015; Received in revised form: 23 December 2015; Accepted: 28 December 2015; Keywords Cloud computing, E-learning, Virtual Learning Environment, New technology adaption process and E-learning based cloud. Elixir Comp. Sci. & Engg. 89 (2015) 37231-37236 Computer Science and Engineering Available online at www.elixirpublishers.com (Elixir International Journal) Tele: E-mail addresses: imanasri90@gmail.com © 2015 Elixir All rights reserved