There are several projects whereby you can use Skype for enriching learning in your classroom. One initiative is to encourage teachers to use Skype for building literacy.
Skype is currently highlighting a number of activities that you can do to reading, writing and digital literacy, as well as responsible Internet use:
- virtual guest speaker e.g. an author
- virtual field trips
- collaboration with other classes
Why use Skype in the classroom?
Skype helps you flatten the walls of your classroom, exposing children to the richness of the broader world. We can also use Skype to add context to learning, and to make it authentic for children. Skype can provide the opportunity to engage children’s inquiry, creativity and wonder by meeting other people around the world, learning from them, and sharing creations with them. The highlighted activity this month is the Big Questions Challenge.
The Big Questions Challenge uses a video to pose an open question for students to think about, research, and respond to. According to Skype, the goal of the challenge is “to develop digital literacy skills, and to encourage critical thinking and collaborative learning”. The challenges uses the following skills:
- collaboration (students work in groups to answer the question)
- critical thinking (students have to come up with solutions, where there are multiple options)
- presentation (students can present the “answer” to others face-to-face or online, e.g. through a blog)
- research (students may do research to find out about the topic)
The challenge uses an inquiry stance, whereby students self-organize to answer the question.
For this and other lessons, please visit Skype Education.