Connect Your Students Globally Via Skype Editor’s note: Because there are so many academically valuable things that can be accomplished through Skype (http://www.skype.com), I thought it warranted having a section devoted to the use of Skype in schools. This section written by Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano.
In our flat and interconnected world, we owe it to our students to teach them the skills that will allow them to communicate and collaborate with others from around the globe. These connections can and should go beyond an initial “Hello” with inquiries about the weather, language, customs and food traditions. Students can use connections to collect and analyze authentic data, learn first hand from eye witness experiences and subject area experts. Many free tools are available to bring collaboration partners together to learn with and from. Educators are able to transform the way they teach and learn about our world. Students are taking learning off the pages of a textbook, are actively engaged and are shaping their own learning experience in the process. Skype, a video conference program, is one of these tools. Never has it been easier to connect across distances with friends, family, colleagues, peers, eye witnesses, and subject area experts.
What do you need to connect your students via Skype? • Computer • Internet Connection • Downloaded Skype program • Webcam (usually has an integrated multidirectional microphone) • Microphone (if not integrated with webcam or if higher audio quality desired) • LCD projector (optional, but highly recommended)
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