Thursday, May 29th, 2014
If you or your kids have friends or relatives in far away places, it’s likely that you’ve used Skype or another video-conferencing program to connect and catch up from the comfort of your computer. Maybe you’ve even done a virtual job interview or met a potential roommate this way at some point in your life–seeing someone face-to-face can really say it all.
With Skype in the classroom, students and teachers from around the world have been able to connect with one another to learn about each other’s backgrounds, discuss current events, form friendships, and more–all during a normal school day. Teachers can share lesson plans and collaborate using the Skype in the classroom website, and they can also arrange for students to chat with guest speakers representing various fields who can provide job advice and insight to the next generation.
In a fun twist, classes can also chose to “Mystery Skype” by playing a version of 20 questions in which they take turns trying to determine each other’s geographic location. When students wish to chat with peers who would be difficult to reach because of time zone differences, they can leave a video message for the far away class to watch the next day.
In an age of Snapchats and video games, it’s refreshing to see students enjoy technology that’s not only fun but educational. Teachers: do you want to become a part of Skype in the classroom? Get started here!Add a Comment