Using the video conferencing program, Skype,
seems to be something that most people do just to catch up with friends and
family members over long distances, but it is a great educational tool as well.
With technology improving and more students having access to technological
tools and the Internet, incorporating technology in a classroom or library
setting is a must if we want students to be actively engaged in what they are
learning. Skype is one tool that I believe will be easy for teachers and
librarians to integrate within the school.
In Messner’s (2014) article, “The Skyping
Renaissance,” the fact that Skype can be used as a communication tool from
anywhere in the world is a strong reason for educators to use Skype in the
school system. The author points out and explains three main ways on how to
implement Skype conferencing in schools. First, it is a great tool for
communicating with authors of novels or other class materials. Reading in
school can take on a completely different level once students realize that they
can have the opportunity to discuss their favorite books with the authors who
wrote them or illustrators who drew for them. Students can have an actual
conversation with these creators and ask him or her their questions and express
their thoughts about the books they read. It is an interactive, engaging way to
get students excited about reading. Another option Messner provides for Skype
use in the school is for interviews. If students are studying something in
their science class or doing a research paper for history, they have the
opportunity to find a primary resource to talk to regarding what they are
learning. They can reach out to a professional or expert in a specific field or
subject and interview him or her, no matter where they live in the world. The
third point Messner brings up is that students (as well as educators) can also
use Skype as a resource for receiving writing workshops or other educational
material or lessons. If a professional writer wanted to come to a school to
give a presentation on how to incorporate grammar correctly in an essay but was
unable to make it due to her plane being delayed, she could always create a
Skype conference and teach the English class from the airport. It is a great
way for educators to communicate with each other and share professional
development ideas, and even students can teach students in other areas
material.
I believe that I can use Skype in my classroom
(and later on in the library). It seems like such an engaging and efficient
tool, that I wonder why I haven’t used it yet. One aspect of Skype that I
definitely want to take advantage of is using it for author visits. I think
that my students will be much more excited about reading a novel if they know
that they can have a Skype visit with the author and talk about the book with
him or her. Another Skype method that I think will prove to be useful for me is
the ability for my students to learn from other teachers and students. Perhaps
I am weak at teaching a certain topic. Instead of having a more experienced
teacher coming into my classroom to teach my class and give me ideas on how to
improve my teaching methods, why couldn’t another teacher from another school
connect with my students and teach them? I also really love the idea of my
students being able to connect with students at another school to study or
reflect on what they are learning in class. This kind of social connection is
what students live for outside of school, so I think that it is time that it is
merged within the classroom. Overall, Skype is a great tool for social communication
and learning, and I plan to implement it with my future students.
Messner, K. (2014). The skyping renaissance. School
Library Journal, 60(11), 27.
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