Using Skype in Classroom
Everyone know Skype! Everyone use it for chatting with
family, friends, or even strangers, or we called it “personal communication”. Can
we use it as one of educational tool?
Skype is generally recognized as the standard-bearer for Vo IP
(Voice over Internet Protocol) which allows person to make phone calls over the
internet using computer, laptop, smart phone or any device that can assess internet-connection,
further allow person make a video call if they have camera accompanying in
their devices (Poore, 2012). Skype is an incredible growing communication application
on the internet because people can registration for free and easy to create an
account further, there is an online conferencing tool which is easy to use such
as cheap mobile calling, instant messaging or free video calling (Cissp &
Porter, 2006).
Concerning to Skype as the educational tool, Skype has many features
which can be useful for classroom purpose. For distance learning, pupils can stay at home
and interact with their live school classroom by using webcam via Skype then,
they can converse, asking questions just like their peer do in the real classroom
(King, K.P. & Cox, T.D., 2011). Skype in classroom will help both of teachers
and students saving time, presents students’ worldwide progressive way to
discover new cultures and opens the world for them.
Become part of Skype in the Classroom, teacher need to:
- sing up at education.skype.com by
using Skype account details
- create a profile that sets out their interests,
specialties and location and also age groups
Then they can create their projects which they can find
their partner who can help them in specific learning activity after that,
students can search for the project or even search for keyword. This is quite
easy for both of teachers and students.
This is the video clip which introducing Skype in the
classroom.
Classroom today is more fun and fantastic providing by
technology, students can easily to go out of their own country for discover new
lands anytime they want, the world become small by using it. And, “Skype in the classroom” is new tool for providing new comfortable way for teacher and students to search and to learn new things in new way.
References:
Cissp, T.P. & Porter, T. (2006). Practical VoIP
Security. Rockland, MA: Syngress.
King, K.P. & Cox, T. D. (2011). The Professor’s Guide to
Taming Technology: Leveraging Digital Media, Web 2.0, and more for learning.
Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Poore, M. (2012). Using Social Media in the Classroom: A
best Practice Guide. London. SAGE Publications.
Video References:
Skype is a daily use software to chat with your families and friends. And now it is going to breaking down the wall of school to let students talk with experts and meet people in other places to exchange their ideas. As you said classroom is becoming fun because of technology, indeed. And here is a link of 10 ways to use Skype in the classroom for educators. http://blog.learningtoday.com/blog/bid/41726/10-Ways-to-Use-Skype-in-the-Classroom
ReplyDeleteHi Kusuma, Skype in classroom can be a very useful tool to enhance learning. However, educators should not lose sight of technological limitations that may occur. For instance, the angle of the view of the web camera may result in the inability to capture the whole learning space (Ardley, 2009). Thus negatively impacting on the learning and teaching processes. Also, it is important to always bear in mind that for technology to achieve its purpose fully (Everett and Ahern 1994), it must be structured into a class in a pedagogically sound manner. This will help reduce the risk of technology becoming a distractor instead of serving didactic purpose.
ReplyDeleteReference
Ardley, J. (2009). Unanticipated Findings: Gains by Cooperating Teachers via Video-Mediated conferencing. Journal of Computing in Teacher education, 25(3), 81-86
Everett, D, R, &Ahern, T.C (1994). Computer-Mediated Communication as a teaching tool: A case study. Journal of Research on Computing in Education 26,336-357
Agreeing with the above comments and the author of this post I have some considerations regarding the use of Skype in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt that this is a resource that approaches and facilitates communication between everyone and even learning processes, if we consider its use in the classroom. However there are other challenges that must be taken into account before use it, for example:
- Skype does not offer the customer service phone line, which turns more difficult to resolve your doubts or issue.
- We can get a free videoconference if this is just between two users. But if it is more than two users will have to be at least one program that has the Skype for video conferencing group that has a cost. This payment may be a day or months or a year, depending on the need and use what is intended in a lecture, if you just keep connection between the teacher (for example) and the student, but in case there are working groups in which some students will have to participate online during class this brings a financial obstacle. Can the schools have a specific pack to provide free access? This could be another great discussion :)
However it is really a valuable tool for participation and involvement of all, not depending on where they are.