Communication Tools

Communication Tools

Skype in the Classroom

In this time of uncertainty around school closures due to COVID-19, discussing communication tools seems more relevant than ever. I have no doubt that an abundance of tools are being used for teachers and students to not only communicate, but to also help enhance student learning past simply substituting high-quality lessons with online worksheets.

The tool I chose to explore is Skype. I have used Skype on a personal level, but hadn't considered using it for educational purposes. Skype has many useful features, but the ones I was most interested in are the ability to have an audio/visual conference with up to 50 people and also the ability to record any sessions. The ability to record and refer back to later seems like an especially useful tool for students who need additional time for processing or need the information presented in smaller chunks. If my district were to close for an extended length of time, I think I would like the opportunity for students to still have a chance to be "face to face" for a short period of time, even if it is just on screens. I worry that extended closures could cause regression in the sense of community I've worked so hard to build in each class, and having a designated "class meeting" time for a few minutes may help my students to still feel connected to myself and each other. 

I can already see Skype having many uses, both for my professional growth and to help my students understand ideas on a deeper and more global level. Since I created my Twitter account and have been following fellow educators, I've seen many organizing "e-PD" where educators can come together in a virtual conference and share out ideas and strategies and methods to handle closures. If my district closes, I will definitely be using those resources to help me generate ideas for extended learning lessons. In terms of student learning activities, Skype opens up the world for them. They could connect with students in other areas of the world who have first-hand experience with what we're currently learning, go on virtual field trips to explore places they most likely won't have the opportunity to ever see in person, and connect with experts in a field they are currently studying.

Using Skype supports the actions of Global Education Leaders and the principals of cosmogogy by personalizing learning experiences for students and placing them at the center of the educational "universe". The learning revolves around them and their individual needs. They get to make the decisions about who they connect with and why. They get to decide what they learn from those they connect with. Skype also flattens the learning for students by putting the world at their fingertips. With the proper tool in place to make connections, there are no limitations as to who they can connect with.