Skype
Using skype in the classroom is a great tool for teachers to use to communicate with other people in the world. This article talks about the benefits of using skype in the classroom for guest speakers or taking a virtual field trip.
http://www.teachhub.com/using-skype-classroom
This article written by TIME magazine explains how skype can be used differently in the classroom. The article also mentions that there are many free services that teachers can use with skype as apposed to other phone conferencing services that can be very expensive to use.
http://techland.time.com/2012/11/28/how-teachers-use-skype-in-the-classroom/
http://www.teachhub.com/using-skype-classroom
This article written by TIME magazine explains how skype can be used differently in the classroom. The article also mentions that there are many free services that teachers can use with skype as apposed to other phone conferencing services that can be very expensive to use.
http://techland.time.com/2012/11/28/how-teachers-use-skype-in-the-classroom/
my experiences with skype
I have seen people skype but because we have facetime on our phones we often use this service instead. We use facetime for all sorts of things from my husband asking which product to buy at the store to checking in with the kids to see where they are. I can easily see facetime being used for those schools that have iPads.
using skype in the classroom
I love this idea and had planned on using something like this in the classroom. I think this is a valuable tool to even use within a school or a school district. For example teacher can team teach using skype. Teachers can take turns teaching a lesson using skype that they have prepared for both classes or if teachers would like to evaluate each other they could also use skype in this way as well. Really the options are limitless. A professor told me of a story where one of her students had to have emergency heart surgery and so they skyped in class with the student so the student did not have to drop out of class. I could also use this in the future if a student is sick and wants to skype in during class I would do this in my classroom so that students do not fall behind.