I was very excited to try Skype as my sister had recommended it. I registered and had a video conversation with her in England. The possibilities are limitless. Last year, my class compared weather in Alaska with Texas. Imagine if we could Skype with a classroom in Alaska and see for ourselves. Another example would be during our multi-cultural festival in which each grade teaches the school about a country. Our grade chose Israel. I think it would be amazing if we had a video conference with a class in Israel (we would have to figure out the time difference of course) and we had conversations about the similarities and differences between the two countries.
Skype would also be a wonderful way to have an author discuss their work. Or to have an expert on a subject (ex. a paleontologist discussing bones) to bring it closer to our students.
I checked out the other skype-like programs and found the original to be the most user friendly. Of course with practice, teachers and students could become adept at using different products. I think Skype and similar-type products give students hands on learning which sparks their interest and peaks their higher-order thinking skills.
I agree that Skype is fabulous! The possibilities are endless and the kids can visit with so many different people! And the best part is the cost... Free!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, I need to figure out how I can find a class somewhere else to have my class Skype with. There were a few contacts on the 11.5 things so I may pursue those opportunities.
ReplyDelete