BioBlog

Connecting through Skype was fun!  Turning on my laptop to find messages waiting added yet another dimension to networking.  The experience brought to life the opportunities to communicate with others who come from different backgrounds and perspectives.  It is refreshing to learn how people in other states or countries view education and implement curricula.

This tool can be used for both professional development and classroom instruction.  We are planning a school visit next week to a district that is in its second year of the Classrooms for the Future initiative.  The teachers and administrators are both gracious and generous to allow us to visit;  however, the CFF initiative is becoming so widespread that it could be less intrusive if teachers hooked up a webcam and a microphone at their convenience and broadcasted to other schools involved in the same endeavor.  This would be another instance of using the web to work collaboratively and would eliminate groups of observers distracting students.  It would also allow sharing over greater distances where travel becomes expensive.  For example, I attended a conference where a team of presenters from a school in Georgia offered new and exciting ideas.  Since I cannot go to Georgia, Skype could bring Georgia to me!  It would be great to see the kids in action and to hear their assessment of the strategies.

In the classroom, the connections made through blogs could also be enhanced with Skype.  The use of IM would interest the students, and the addition of webcams and microphones should stimulate increased participation.  Students seem to respond to venues that are more closely aligned with their world. 

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