ok, so web20classroom on twitter has some pretty awsome tweets these days. In his latest tweet he references a blog about how to use Skype in the classroom (http://bit.ly/93vQ8r). Skype is a program that is free to download online. Once downloaded you can search for people by name. After you add contacts to your skpye, you can call that person up (if they are online), and being to chatt face to face. They can not only hear you(like a cell phone), but they can also see you. It is real time, and instantaneous. For example, you could be in Spain talking and seeing someone in the United States. This particular article focuses on the many ways that skype can be used in teaching/the classroom/etc: Here are some of my favorite suggestions for teachers, espcially English and Language Arts:Visit teachingdegree.org or the above link to view all the suggestions:
1Chat with an author of a book read in class via Skype
2)Virtual fieldtrips:
3)Interviews
4)Guest Lectures
I had never before thought about using Skype within the classroom until I read this blog. Currently I use skype to connect with family and friends across the United States while in college, but I think there is so much more to this software than that. Can you imagine what this type of technology would have been like when you were in highschool. I would have loved to chat with my favorite author face to face. I would have loved to visit places vis. vitural tours that I knew I wouldn't be able to get to. I think the wave of this type of technology has finally started to filtar into the classroom, and I can't imagine what's next. Who knows, but maybe in 10 years students will be doing far more advanced things with technology than we every dreamed.
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Hello Jacqui. So good to know you through your profile on the blogger. I am also glad to stop by your blog "Integration Technology in the Classroom" and the post on "Skype in the Classroom". It is amazing to see how technology can help us to make things so easy. Well let me share about the program our church in Mumbai has for the young people as well as the adults from the west. We encourage such people to come to Mumbai, India to work with us on short / long term missions trip in the slums of Mumbai amongst poorest of poor to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to give them new hope, life and future. I am in the Pastoral ministry for last 35yrs in this great city of Mumbai a city with great contrast where richest of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest of poor with the love to Christ to bring healing to the broken hearted. We would love to have you come with your friends to work with us in the slums of Mumbai during your summer/ Christmas vacation. I am sure you will have a life changing experience. My email id is: dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede. Looking forward to hear form you very soon.
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