Although utilizing Skype is a great way to connect with my granddaughter, it is ALSO a great tool to use in the classroom! Let me share how some teachers in our district are utilizing this wonderful tool!
Ø Grade level and content teachers have used Skype to chat with various authors. This has provided students with a wonderful experience extending their understanding of authors’ points of view.
Ø Science and Health teachers have used Skype to chat with doctors and physicians’ assistants from Lehigh Valley Medical Center
Ø Grade level and science teachers have chatted with a scientist from NASSAU
Ø Students researching their graduation projects have utilized Skype to converse with business partners and senior citizens, among others.
Ø Students in World Language classes chat with students in various levels, different schools, and even different countries! What better way to learn a language than to speak with a native speaker!
Ø Students in our East Penn Cyber Learning Program (EPCLP) utilize Skype to access their online teachers and for extra tutoring help.
As I reflect on my use of Skype with other educators and what I’ve seen other educators doing, it amazes me how far we have come! The ability to actually see, to speak with, and to hear a partner “live” via one’s computer not only helps student understand but also helps develop their relationship skills – a vital component of 21st Century learning!
I know that as I continue professionally developing our teachers, I will continue to utilize Skype. It’s a great way to model a 21st Century chat and to “connect” with other educators worldwide! I can’t think of a better way to extend learning in the classroom!
Wow Linda! Your district is finding a variety of ways to use Skype. I really like Skype (when I have the broadband width to support it)!
ReplyDeleteHave you found a way to assess if using Skype in the variety of ways you mentioned has help improve student learning and achievement? Most of this may be anecdotal in nature, but it would be nice if we could actually have empirical data to show that Skype is making a positive difference in student learning and achievement.
Wow, Linda, your district has really implemented Skype to create some wonderful learning experiences for your students! I think it is great that you are also using it for Professional Development.
ReplyDeleteMy district is struggling with getting everyone on board with using new tools such as Skype, as well as other web tools. I think the biggest issue teachers complain about is the time to learn how to use the tools and plan lessons. Using the tools within prof. dev. is a great way to kill 2 birds with one stone, so to speak. More efficiency for the pof. dev. and provides opportunities (time) for teachers to learn how to use the tools to implement them in their own classroom.
What else did your district do to get teachers to "buy into" using tools like Skype, blogs, file sharing tools like Google Docs, etc.?