School teachers and students everywhere now have a way to find
each other for collaborative projects and shared learning through a new
online platform provided by Skype. Skype
in the classroom is a free global community created in response to,
and in consultation with, the growing number of teachers using Skype to
help their students learn. Teachers can use the tool to collaborate with
other teachers, and find partner classes and guest speakers. Skype in
the classroom is designed to help like-minded teachers find each other
and relevant projects according to search criteria such as the age
groups they teach, location and subjects of interest; and teaching
resources can be easily shared and found.
In the past, many teachers have found that the biggest challenge to
using Skype in their classrooms has been finding similar classes to pair
with. Skype in the classroom presents a solution by bringing like-minded
teachers together online and making it easy for them to share skills and
ideas.
Today more and more teachers all over the world use Skype to make
learning more exciting, interactive and memorable. From language studies
and geography lessons to virtual field trips and expert speakers joining
classes from afar, Skype video offers an immediate way to help students
discover new cultures, languages and ideas, all without leaving the
classroom. In addition, teachers are being encouraged to do more to
share their expertise and experiences systematically in ways that go
beyond the mere exchange of information. It is also reported that
teachers who exchange ideas and information and co-ordinate their
practices with other teachers report more positive teacher-student
relations at their own schools.*
The platform, which has been in beta since the end of December,
has a community of more than 3900 teachers, across 99 countries. Kara
Cornejo, who teaches a 5th grade class in Missouri, USA, and
is an avid Skype user, found five schools around the world to
collaborate with on an international weather project within just one day
of joining. “Skype in the classroom is an amazing resource to find
teachers to collaborate with and to bring people into your classroom
that you would never have been able to.”
The Global Learning Exchange, a program designed to create borderless
classrooms and allow students to learn about other cultures seamlessly
has been using Skype video for four years. Regular exchanges between
Jurong West primary school children in Singapore and Bill Williams
Elementary school students in California, USA “has helped all 260
students from both schools build relationships with one another and
facilitated learning that is not limited by geographical borders,” said
co-founder Manuel Rose Delema. “Skype makes learning fun and engaging as
children look forward to meeting their global friends and asking
questions.”
In a similar way, Skype is also used to connect 9-10 year old students
at Lakanal school in Lille, France with their peers in Prince Edouard
Island, Canada. “Before arranging the first video call, our students
exchanged letters and emails but we decided to bring the two classes
together face-to-face over Skype video to enrich their relationship,”
said Christophe Fetat, the teacher at Lakanal school. “The result was
amazing. Students were really engaged to discuss different topics. It is
really a simple and effective way to exchange ideas, learn and bring
other cultures into the class.”
To join Skype in the classroom, teachers can take these steps:
1) Sign up at education.skype.com
using their Skype account details
2) Create a profile which includes their interests, location and the age
groups they teach
3) Explore the directory to find projects, teachers and resources that
match their skills, needs or interests