Thing # 3 Like Skype

I first participated on Skype several weeks ago when my husband called me in to talk to a friend over his computer. He has since had 8 other friends and family members find him and ask to be on his contacts. It's a great thing for families and friends to be able to see and communicate free over the miles, and I just found out that is what my son has been using to talk to his friends while studying or playing computer games. He has been using something like skype for years--since he and his friends (I think in 2nd grade then) figured out how to hook up free on their own. Mostly for entertainment, but it has come in handy when a group of his friends studied together-- dividing up the review guides and teaching each other without having to be all together at someone's house at 11:00 at night. (Nice for parents who would have to go pick them up, too!)If I only had a nickel for every $30.00 headset he has gone through in the last 10 years or so.

I enjoyed Anne Mirtschin's advice, along with the blog of 50 ways to use skype in the classroom. I looked into WiZiQ because I saw free virtual classroom, but it turned out to be a free demo. That looked really cool. Using skype, I feel it would be most useful to elementary school for virtual field trips, experts and speakers for career days, author / illustrator talks, talking to classrooms in other locations and cultures, travels, and tutoring sessions.

If teachers would permit a camera in their classroom, it would be so great for students to be able to "tune in" to their classes when they are absent. My son missed 3 days of school out sick last week, and it would have been so good for him just to have listened and watched what went on-- so he would not have so much work to makeup and missed so much instruction. Maybe in the future...