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Structuring Change in the Classroom with Skype

Structuring Change in the Classroom with Skype. Kathy Beck and Linda Lerch - Iredell Statesville Schools. North Carolina Technology In Education Society. March 5 and 6, 2009. About Skype.

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Structuring Change in the Classroom with Skype

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  1. Structuring Change in the Classroom with Skype Kathy Beck and Linda Lerch - Iredell Statesville Schools

  2. North Carolina Technology In Education Society March 5 and 6, 2009

  3. About Skype “Skype was founded in 2003 by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis. Skype created a little piece of software that makes communicating with people around the world easy and fun. With Skype you can say hello or share a laugh with anyone, anywhere. And if both of you are on Skype, it’s free.”

  4. “Skype is available in 28 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings such as making and receiving calls to and from landline and mobile phones, as well as voicemail and call forwarding. Skype, based in Luxembourg, has relationships with a growing network of hardware and software providers and is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY).”

  5. Skype makes it easy to connect to other people, other cultures, and other countries. Classrooms may not have telephones, but they are often wired for the Internet. Skype is a service that teachers and students can access using the hardware they already have in their rooms.

  6. Skype makes it easy to have school beyond the classroom door.

  7. + NCSCOS = Global Learners Easily covers numerous North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS) Competency Goals and Objectives. Kindergarten - Competency Goal 1, 1.13 1st Grade - Competency Goal 1, 1.01 2nd Grade - Competency Goal 1, 1.01 & 1.15 Competency Goal 2, 2.12 3rd Grade - Competency Goal 1, 1.17 4th Grade - Competency Goal 1, 1.01 & 1.14 Competency Goal 2, 2.12 & 2.13 5th Grade - Competency Goal 1, 1.01 Competency Goal 2, 2.13 & 2.16

  8. + NCSCOS = Global Learners Also covers Middle and High School Competencies. 6 - 8 - Competency Goal 1 - 1.01, 1.04, 1.11, 1.13, 1.14 Competency Goal 2 - 2.09, 2.06 Competency Goal 3 – 3.01, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13 9 - 12 - Competency Goal 1 - 1.01, 1.02, Competency Goal 2 - 2.02, Competency Goal 3 - 3.FL01,3.FL02,3SS03, 3SS04,3WD01,3WD02, 3WD.03, 3WD04,3SC02, 3SC03

  9. What you need • Computer • Internet Connection • Microphone

  10. Free Calling • No charges • No used cell phone minutes • Use your internet connection and turn your computer into an internet phone and make free Skype-to-Skype calls. • You and your friend will need to have a headset (or use your computer’s built-in microphone and speakers) to talk to each other. You can really improve the sound quality of your calls with a headset.

  11. What you can add • Webcam

  12. By Adding a Webcam • Video calls can make conversations much more interesting and informative. Share by showing. • Get great picture and sound quality, with faces that fill up your screen. • It’s free to video a ‘hello’ • Video calls, like Skype-to-Skype calls are free, so seeing your friends won't cost a thing, no matter where they are in the world.

  13. Video • Make sure you've • installed the software that came with your webcam. • plugged it into your computer

  14. ALL FREE PC to PC Calls Video Calls Conference Calls Group Chat Rooms Instant Messaging Send Files FOR A FEE Call Mobile Phones Call land lines Forward calls to a phone when you’re offline What Can You Do With Skype?

  15. Some Things to Consider • Standard Definition upload speed – 128kb/sec • High definition upload speed – 384 kb/sec • Speedtest.net

  16. Getting Skype http://www.skype.com

  17. Simple Download

  18. Follow Download Instructions • Click Run • Follow the Download Wizard • You will create a screen name during this process. This is how others will find you.

  19. Click on the Skype Icon

  20. Search for your friend Add a contact Find

  21. Enter their Skype Name, Full Name or Email address

  22. This person needs to accept your request.Until then, their status will appear as offline.Once they’ve accepted, you’ll see when they come online.

  23. In the main window, click the green Video call button.

  24. Smile, wave, say hello!

  25. Useful things you can do • Resize the screen – click and drag the corner of the video screen to make it bigger or smaller. • Move it around – click and drag the video of yourself around your screen. • IM at the same time – click the Show messages link at the top of the video to instant message while you're on the call.

  26. In the Classroom How will using Skype structure change in your classroom?

  27. Collaboration Skype is a natural environment for student collaboration. • Students can talk with each other • Send files to everyone in the group to review and interject with text comments. • Archives of Skype text messaging conversations can bring fellow students up-to-date. • Students can work on school newspapers, use video to practice for a play, try debate strategies, and even organize school events.

  28. Structure Change by using Skype to… Conduct collaborative research with students in another part of the world. • Learn about students and life in other countries. • Help your students be global learners.

  29. Practice communication with another language or culture. • Learn a language. • Help English as a Second Language students practice conversation skills. • Add new life to a pen pal project by adding audio and video. • Master a foreign language or practice a phrase. Create a gathering place to reach language learners.

  30. Structure Change by using Skype to… • When you cannot have an expert come to you - Skype to them. • Hold a poetry reading at which an actual poet in another state reads to your class -- or vice versa. • Brainstorm teaching ideas with an out-of-town mentor. Ask questions of experts

  31. Experience a virtual field trip without buses and entrance fees.

  32. Structure Change by using Skype to… Provide mentoring or homework help • Include an ill student in daily classroom discussions. • Conduct a conference call for a club or other small group of students. • Monitor your class while away.

  33. Homework Skype can double as • A quick connection to a teacher or librarian. • Or even a traveling parent for a child in the midst of a homework crisis.

  34. Children with Special Needs Children with special needs often have unique problems that make the school experience difficult. • By using Skype you can assist these children in sharing events in the classroom which they might not be able to describe. • Teachers can send a description of the day over a chat or file transfer. • Offer Skype conference hours after school or during planning periods.

  35. Skype can also offer a unique combination of accessible modes of language. • Children who are blind can join in an audio Skype conference. • Children who are hearing impaired can engage in a written chat. • Children who use sign language can use the video mode as well as the chat for maximum flexibility. • Children who are homebound can actually join in a school-based classroom without expensive teleconferencing equipment.

  36. Modeling Teachers can also help direct a parent with a struggling learner by modeling teaching techniques. The parent and child are at home and the teacher can coach through Skype.

  37. Read Alouds One important way to inspire children to read is by reading to them. Schools can arrange to have an author read a story over Skype so that the entire class can enjoy a favorite book and then ask questions for an author study. Other Readers might be local business owners, elected officials, athletes, or other local leaders. Local theater groups get involved in literacy education by offering read-alouds in classrooms.

  38. Structure Change by using Skype to… Conduct parent conferences

  39. Structure Change by using Skype to… Collaborate with other teachers

  40. Provide and/or Participate in Professional Development Conduct virtual classes (distance learning) in an informal setting.

  41. Professional Development • Skype brings professional development to the teacher, coach, or mentor when and where they need it. • With Skype, teacher mentors can deliver personalized training directly to the classroom on subjects teachers need. • Skype skips the expense, the travel, and the time out of the classroom for teachers.

  42. Using Other FREEBIES……Like CamStudio & Google Earth

  43. At this point in the presentation • Linda shared uses for CamStudio and Google Earth. • She opened Google Earth and demonstrated how she would share with the class a visual of their location and then pan out to the location where they would be communicating with another school on SKYPE.

  44. CamStudio • She also demonstrated how you can use CamStudio to record everything that you do on your computer screen as well as narrations. • She often records her lessons to be used as reviews, or for her substitute to open so that it appears Linda is teaching the class when she is absent. • At this time in the presentation we shared a CamStudio recorded session which was recorded while using Google Earth and another which was recorded during a session Skyping another school in Yadkin County, NC.

  45. How We Have Used Skype to Communicate School to School Students from Mt. Mourne Elementary and Yadkinville Elementary school posed questions to each other. Students were able to see the other students and hear their questions and responses.

  46. What We Have Learned • You will need to provide lessons in Skype behavior • Is this activity as important as a phone call. This is Educational NOT social networking. • Dialing etiquette. • Movement while using a webcam. • Provide a stationary microphone and have the students move to it to avoid excess noise while passing a microphone from student to student • Have Questions prepared. • Skype from a well lit room.

  47. These photos show the class while participating in a Skyping activity.

  48. Other Examples of Skype in the Classroom • Around the World with 80 Schools http://langwitches.org/blog/2009/01/03/around-the-world-with-80-schools/ An elementary school in Jacksonville, Florida wants to take on the challenge to connect with at least 80 schools in different countries and continents. They want to circle the globe in the next 6 months.

  49. NC Teacher Academy and Skype • Dan Froelich of North Carolina Teacher Academy has a wiki about “Skype in Education”. Join him and the other 170 people who have made contributions to this wiki. You can access the site at http://skypeinschools.pbwiki.com • The site was created December 2008.

  50. Additional Resources • http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7610864481757219171&q=genre%3Aeducational+coolcatteacher A video from a teacher about how to get started “Skype-ing” • http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=196 A touching video about a girl with leukemia who gets to “go to school” because of Skype. • http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-4420.html Yep, that’s right. Skype for dummies! Good resource!

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