Bringing the World into Your Classroom with Skype

It can sometimes be quite costly to bring a speaker into the classroom. Depending upon the presenter, teachers sometimes need to cover the cost of transportation, lodging, as well as an honorarium for the speaker. Field trips can be a logistical nightmare. From organizing the venue, collecting permissions slips and ticket money, to arranging for transportation, getting a classroom full of students organized for an outing can leave a teacher at wits end. Which is too bad since these authentic learning experiences are often times the ones that stick with students. An alternative? Bring the speaker or field trip to you using Skype.

Skype is a free application that allows users to make free audio and video calls through their internet connection. Skype is a type of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) application, which uses your dial-up or broadband connection to make free calls over the internet. You can use Skype to connect with one person or a group. It features a chat function, file sharing, audio and video connections, and so much more. Teachers are using Skype to connect their students with classrooms on the other side of the world, to collaborate on projects, and to share materials.

WHY USE SKYPE?

• Check out this wonderful post by Silvia Tolisano, an edublogger who writes at Langwitches. In it, she outlines not only how she has used Skype but why Skype is such a great resource for teachers.
• Not convinced? Watch this. Brian Crosby's fourth grade class connects to a classmate via Skype.

USING SKYPE IN THE CLASSROOM:
Below you will find examples of how teachers have used Skype with their students. Their reflections offer insights on the benefits as well as the complications encountered when they opened up their classroom doors.

• On an e-jourey with Generation Y is a blog by Australian teacher Anne Mirtschin. She reflects on why using Skype was one of her students' most memorable moments in her class.
• Check out the amazing ways that teachers have been using Skype. Scroll down to read the "Comments" section of this wiki page.
• Don't be a dummy, check out this Skype for teachers Dummies page.
• The School Library Journal also featured an article about using Skype in the Classroom.
• Neil Stephenson writes about the Many Roles of Skype in his middle school classroom.
• How can you use Skype? Try one of these ideas:

Connect your class to virtual pen pals	Help students hear native speakers when learning a foreign language	Collaborate with another class on a joint research project
Bring authors into your classroom via a Skype	Learn about another culture by connecting students to a classroom from that culture	Learn about geography from students living in an area you are studying
Bring professionals from your content area to "speak" in your classroom	Conduct interviews	Create pod- and screencasts with students from other parts of the world
Study the same book with another class and hold web book talks	Have students in your class create virtual presentations for students in other schools	Attend a webinar with your students

GETTING STARTED WITH SKYPE:

• You'll find a number of free video tutorials to help you start using Skype at Tutorpipes.
• If you would rather print out directions for setting up your Skype account, click on this link to Eric Curts document on Skype.
• So, go to Skype and download the application and create an account.
• Sue Waters is The Edublogger and offers Quick Start Up Tips for New Skype Users
• And, you can always find help through Skype's Help page.

TOOLS FOR SKYPE:

• The Skype in Schools page offers a good list of Skype add-ons.
• Skype has a cool list of applications made with teachers in mind. Download them today!
• Recorder for Skype - Collaborating with another school on a project and want to record your Skype call so you can replay the audio later? Use the Skype Call Recorder to create podcasts of your calls.

MAKING CONNECTIONS:
Use these links to find other teachers and classroom projects to connect to

• Sue Waters at The Edublogger has put together this list of teachers interested in using Skype in their classroom. It is organized by country and subject area.
• This is an excellent directory of teachers organized by state. Add you information if you are interested in connecting with other classrooms.
• Also, check out the resources that I've collected through my Delicious account.

RESOURCES:

• Skype in Schools is a wonderful wikipage with links to directories, potentially collaboration opportunities, and tutorials galore.
• Brian Crosby has used Skype as a way to conduct virtual field trips. Check out these examples and resources.
• Wes Fryer is an advocate for Teaching Digital