We all use Skype at home to connect with friends and family, what about doing the same with students and classes around the world?
Skype has made this easy with a website dedicated to connecting with other classes around the world.
Skype in the Classroom is an online community that enables thousands of teachers to inspire the next generation of global citizens through transformative learning over Skype.
There are a number of options for using Skype in the classroom:
Virtual Field Trip
Virtual Field Trips are when experts 'out in the field' take students on an experience that is specific to their location e.g.tour guides, explorers, marine biologists, zoologists and scientists
Skype Lesson
Skype Lessons are a specific lesson about a particular subject given by an expert on the subject matter. It is normally given in a presentation format with the speaker talking into the camera and also possibly using screen share and taking Q&As.
Skype Collaborations
Skype Collaborations are projects or Skype Lessons created by teachers to connect their classroom with another classroom around the world. Skype Collaborations can make learning global EVERYDAY for students and empower them to take action in ways that are meaningful to them.
Mystery Skype
Mystery Skype is an educational game that connects two classrooms who are somewhere in the world. Teachers will know where (and who) they’re calling but students will not. The goal of Mystery Skype is to locate the other class geographically. Students must ask Yes/No formatted questions.
Inviting a Guest Speaker
Guest Speakers give Skype sessions for classrooms without the need to set up a Skype Lesson page. Teachers can request sessions with Guest Speakers via their profiles if they think their background and experiences will work for the subjects they are teaching. This is a great option for those with more limited availability as there tend to be fewer requests made of Guest speakers than for Skype lessons.