I have been hearing about Skype for sometime now and have always wanted to try it; this assignment was the perfect opportunity for me to look into it. Skype is a software that allows you to make calls over the internet and it's free! You can also video with people and chat too. Over 30 million people are using Skype and it has become a hit worldwide. Families, friends, and the rest of the world can connect with each other where ever they are. I am really excited to try out Skype with my family in Russia. My uncle has had it for awhile and has been asking us to get it. I haven't seen him and his family since I moved here 16 years ago.
Not only is Skype a great way to connect with people but it is a great teaching tool. Many teachers are implementing Skype in their classroom and are using it for a number of purposes. Below is a link I listed that discusses 50 ways Skype can be used in a classroom. Some of my favorite ideas were: connecting with an author or artist the class has been studying, inviting guest speakers, learning another language from people across the world, connecting with students who are ill, and lastly but not least taking a field trip!
Two video 's: first one explains Skype and the second ones shows how to use it
Not only is Skype a great way to connect with people but it is a great teaching tool. Many teachers are implementing Skype in their classroom and are using it for a number of purposes. Below is a link I listed that discusses 50 ways Skype can be used in a classroom. Some of my favorite ideas were: connecting with an author or artist the class has been studying, inviting guest speakers, learning another language from people across the world, connecting with students who are ill, and lastly but not least taking a field trip!
Two video 's: first one explains Skype and the second ones shows how to use it
http://youtu.be/m1mflr-kQlk
http://youtu.be/KH80vs8DweU
Link:
50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom
There were 5 categories and each one had great ideas and links:
- Promoting Education
- Promoting Community
- Skype Ideas for Teachers and Parents
- Resources for Getting Started and Using Skype
- Finding Others Using Skype
I really love skype. I use it with friends and family. I really look forward to implementing it in my future classroom. I love the examples given that teachers can use skpe for. I mostly like connecting with an author and guest speakers. Cool.
ReplyDeleteSkype is awesome. My husband and I used it when he was gone for a year for the military. I think its wonderful that you can see people no matter where they are in the world. Its great for the classroom as well for students who are sick or cannot make it to class. I hope they impliment more of these ideas in the classroom for the future so that students get the best opportunity possible.
ReplyDeleteSkype is another technology tool that I would not have thought about using in a classroom setting, what a great idea. I know that some classrooms have pen pals in other parts of the world, so this would be an awesome way for students to "meet" each other. I also like the idea of skyping with an author or guest speaker.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I'm not very familiar with skype I do think it is great. I would have never thought to use skype in the classroom but a really cool idea would be to use skype to introduce students to pen pals that they have or will be writing to, that way they can have a better idea of who they are writing to. I also really like the idea of connecting with an author or artist, I think students would really enjoy this.
ReplyDeleteSkype is awesome, my sister used it to call home when she was in Spain for a student exchange. It was great getting to hear from her and see her on a regular basis while she was gone. I never thought of using Skype in class but I really liked your ideas of connecting with an author, having a "virtual" guest speaker, and learning languages from across the world. I remember in one of my elementary classes we had pen-pals that we wrote once a month for a year. Skype would have been a great tool to use then to get to see the person your writing too.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about using Skype in an educational setting, but I like the idea. I think it would be fun to use it to see the classroom of students that you are penpals with.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy using skype, and have used it alot to keep in touch with family out of state. But I had never thought about using it in the classroom. I am glad that you added the site about ways to use Skype in the classroom, it was very informational. What a great way to bring lots of experts into your classroom without them physically having to come to your classroom.
ReplyDeleteAs many of you I also didn't think about using Skype in the class. I am glad you guys are getting ideas and that I am as well. I agree with you that it would be fun to use for penpals! Thanks for the responses :)
ReplyDelete