Thing 3 - Skype

I use Skype at home, but not at school. We don't allow Skype at school because of bandwidth limitations. I love the makeuseof site which I don't remember seeing last year as a resource. I found this index and started looking at some of the resources listed there:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/30-tools-and-tips-to-make-your-skype-better-all-free/
I think the recordings of Skype and answering machine widgets are the best tips.


The hard part would be trying to find a class to connect with, I imagine. I don't think epals provides for a Skype interface, but this wiki helps you find other classrooms to connect with for and offers many other resources for making the program more applicable to education. http://wikiskype.pbworks.com/Skype+in+the+Classroom

This site refers to an author interview with Cynthia Leitch Smith conducted by a high school in Austin. http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6515247.html That is something I would like to do very much.

The following site was very helpful, very basic in how to actually begin teaching the program to students and Vicki Davis gives helpful tips such as giving a grade and checking profiles. http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2006/10/using-skype-in-classroom-or-just.html

I think the best applications are to include absent students via Skype, to conduct interviews with experts and authors, to have cultural exchange "show and tells" with students from different countries, and to conference with parents after hours, especially with an out-of-state parent (which you would probably want to record).