Skype in the Classroom...For Real!
" Are we skyping today? " "Can we skype this afternoon?" These are the questions my eager 4th graders ask each day. You see, they are getting quite comfortable using this web 2.0 tool. Over the past several months we have connected with students in Maine, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Utah, California, a local meteorologist and even the classroom down the hallway. If you look up the word "Skype" or "skyping" in the dictionary, you will not find it. However, it has become one of those ' new' verbs that have been identified with the 21st century (like " google it " and " text me "). Skype has taken the pen pal idea and made it into 'instant pals!" Skype was founded in 2003 , but has recently begun to make its way into our classrooms. Using Skype one can video-conference with another user ( for free ). This year Social Studies has come to life via Skype. Kim Powell , a fourth grade teacher whom I met v...