Skyping Endeavors

I'm very interested in integrating skype across the curriculum and connecting with other classrooms around the world (general/special education). I suggest that we play with skype this summer to determine how applicable it is toward classroom use in whole class and small group environments.

General Skype Brainstorming Collaboration/Ideas

Skyping Rules Suggestions

• Teacher Introductions
• One person speaks at a time
• Possible scripts for younger students
• Appropriate dress
• Watch for inappropriate hand gestures
• Prepare older students who will be meeting younger students
• Prepare students for how (or how not) to react to stereotypes of students from other parts of the world (accents, pop culture, etc)
• Let students begin by introducing themselves and talking about something very common place. aka "dog-sniffing one another out"

Primary Grades K-3

Intermediate Grades 4-5

• Speak with people who live in areas of study
• Penpal-like get togethers as a follow-up to letter writing or blog commenting
• Role play a "live" news hour or 1/2 hour or 15 minutes. 
• Set up a talk show with live audience participation. 

Middle School

• debates
• round table discussions for students on researched topics, book discussions, etc.

High School

• debates
• partner work with someone from a different school

College

Teachers/Staff Development

•  setting up Skype calls to various places in order to develop familiarity with the tool.
• brainstorming ideas over Skype with other teachers and learning how to include more than two people in a conversation.
• recording sessions and then transfering them to podcasts.
• uploading the podcasts to a website or blog.

FrontPage