Comments on: Skype in the Classroom http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/ The life and times of an English teacher in Mexico City Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:47:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Sean http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-524 Mon, 26 Feb 2007 22:49:16 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-524 I believe that making the content meaningful to students is one of our number one duties/obligations as teachers. The majority of teachers I had, definitely did not do this. Instead they would tell us, "Know this material for the test." They rarely ever explained why we were learning what we were learning at the time. If we don't know that, then the material is worthless. I believe that making the content meaningful to students is one of our number one duties/obligations as teachers. The majority of teachers I had, definitely did not do this. Instead they would tell us, “Know this material for the test.” They rarely ever explained why we were learning what we were learning at the time. If we don’t know that, then the material is worthless.

]]> by: Jon http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-508 Mon, 19 Feb 2007 12:52:40 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-508 Until recently, I have never heard of such capabilities able to communicate to someone across the world being able to listen and see that person over your computer screen, all from using skype. It is a marvelous innovation, that I believe will allow teachers to use this technology appropriately for their classroom. All the teachers or students need is the right computer and high speed internet connection (like the person said). The popularity of skype does worry me. Will this eventually eliminate the use for classrooms? There are schools, that I know of, that do host online classes but are geared toward adults with schedules constantly changing, who don’t have time, or aren’t always available to attend class. This is legitimate for those with crazy schedules looking for an education, but children need a structured place where the teacher is physically in the same room as the students. Children need physical contact from other people to develop social skills, lets not but a screen between them. Maybe I am just a bit paranoid and taking skype for all it’s worth, but this seems to be one step closer to future where a teacher in London is possible to teach a group of students from various parts of the world. It boggles my mind that classrooms might not be needed anymore and student might be taught by teachers using skype. Until recently, I have never heard of such capabilities able to communicate to someone across the world being able to listen and see that person over your computer screen, all from using skype. It is a marvelous innovation, that I believe will allow teachers to use this technology appropriately for their classroom. All the teachers or students need is the right computer and high speed internet connection (like the person said). The popularity of skype does worry me. Will this eventually eliminate the use for classrooms? There are schools, that I know of, that do host online classes but are geared toward adults with schedules constantly changing, who don’t have time, or aren’t always available to attend class. This is legitimate for those with crazy schedules looking for an education, but children need a structured place where the teacher is physically in the same room as the students. Children need physical contact from other people to develop social skills, lets not but a screen between them. Maybe I am just a bit paranoid and taking skype for all it’s worth, but this seems to be one step closer to future where a teacher in London is possible to teach a group of students from various parts of the world. It boggles my mind that classrooms might not be needed anymore and student might be taught by teachers using skype.

]]> by: Aaron Nelson http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-493 Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:37:52 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-493 Teacher Dude, Well said. There are some very common tech related roadblocks out there. I think the biggest one is what you mention: quality connections. Though broadband penetration is growing, I think the vast majority of folk simply don't have the high speed net connections AND the computers to handle a Skype class. 2. We'll always be human, I hope anyway, and there's just something about our makeup that I think requires us to interact with other humans in the same room and space for some levels of learning to happen. We need and crave the contact. We can learn with digital tools, but I think only on certain levels of deepness. Thanks for your ideas. Teacher Dude,
Well said. There are some very common tech related roadblocks out there. I think the biggest one is what you mention: quality connections. Though broadband penetration is growing, I think the vast majority of folk simply don’t have the high speed net connections AND the computers to handle a Skype class.

2. We’ll always be human, I hope anyway, and there’s just something about our makeup that I think requires us to interact with other humans in the same room and space for some levels of learning to happen. We need and crave the contact. We can learn with digital tools, but I think only on certain levels of deepness.

Thanks for your ideas.

]]> by: Aaron Nelson http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-492 Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:32:10 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-492 Hello Alex, Thanks for sharing your experiences with Skype and training. Cutting down on long commutes and travel to work projects is something that has always....seemed to dangle just in front of me. Ever since I started commuting 2 hours one way to 7:30 a.m. English classes on the other side of Mexico City, I've daydreamed of one day teaching online, from the comfort of my living room. Don't get me wrong: I'm still wanting to deliver high quality classes, but I would sure love to cut back my commute time. You mention a common thread of online ed: That we will never be able to replace the human side of teaching/learning. There's just something...special that happens when you're in the same room as the other person you're working with isn't there? Something, up until now, that just can't be replicated with online options. I agree with you: Online is great for classroom conversation extension, but it should never replace human contact. Thanks for your ideas, I'll read your article tonight. Hello Alex,
Thanks for sharing your experiences with Skype and training. Cutting down on long commutes and travel to work projects is something that has always….seemed to dangle just in front of me. Ever since I started commuting 2 hours one way to 7:30 a.m. English classes on the other side of Mexico City, I’ve daydreamed of one day teaching online, from the comfort of my living room.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m still wanting to deliver high quality classes, but I would sure love to cut back my commute time.

You mention a common thread of online ed: That we will never be able to replace the human side of teaching/learning. There’s just something…special that happens when you’re in the same room as the other person you’re working with isn’t there? Something, up until now, that just can’t be replicated with online options.

I agree with you: Online is great for classroom conversation extension, but it should never replace human contact.

Thanks for your ideas, I’ll read your article tonight.

]]> by: Aaron Nelson http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-491 Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:23:05 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-491 Hello ajk205, Please forgive me for taking so long to write you back. I appreciated your points of view very much. I think you make a very strong and important point: No matter how techie our classrooms become, we must never forget that we will always need human contact to learn. Teacher with Students, Students with Teacher, Students with Students in real time, face-to-face. I do think valuable learning can take place via online environments, but human contact and interaction in F2F environments, will likely always be a vital part of the learning process. Blended learning solutions are the way to go I think. (Combinations of online and F2F.) That way you get the best of both worlds. The flexibility and richness of online learning, coupled with face-to-face interaction. I really enjoyed your ideas, thanks for posting them. Hello ajk205,

Please forgive me for taking so long to write you back. I appreciated your points of view very much. I think you make a very strong and important point: No matter how techie our classrooms become, we must never forget that we will always need human contact to learn. Teacher with Students, Students with Teacher, Students with Students in real time, face-to-face.

I do think valuable learning can take place via online environments, but human contact and interaction in F2F environments, will likely always be a vital part of the learning process.

Blended learning solutions are the way to go I think. (Combinations of online and F2F.) That way you get the best of both worlds. The flexibility and richness of online learning, coupled with face-to-face interaction.

I really enjoyed your ideas, thanks for posting them.

]]> by: Aaron Nelson http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-490 Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:14:57 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-490 Jeff, I'm soo sorry for not replying to you until now. I agree with you: Skype holds great potential for ESL classrooms. Though there are a few hurdles to clear, I think that someday soon, I'll be going to some classes over the internet. Maybe my students will be located in a distant corner of Mexico City, or in another country. I think that's going to be a part of my teaching future. It sure seems to be a trend of today's "flat world." I also strongly agree with your point around Skype not being a good tool for lecture style courses. Nope. It's about conversation. That's what Skype is good for. (And, in my humble opinion, conversations are what leads to the best learning anyway.) Have you tried to employ Skype for language learning/teaching purposes? Thanks for your comments, and for writing such an interesting blog. Jeff,
I’m soo sorry for not replying to you until now. I agree with you: Skype holds great potential for ESL classrooms. Though there are a few hurdles to clear, I think that someday soon, I’ll be going to some classes over the internet. Maybe my students will be located in a distant corner of Mexico City, or in another country. I think that’s going to be a part of my teaching future. It sure seems to be a trend of today’s “flat world.”

I also strongly agree with your point around Skype not being a good tool for lecture style courses. Nope. It’s about conversation. That’s what Skype is good for. (And, in my humble opinion, conversations are what leads to the best learning anyway.)

Have you tried to employ Skype for language learning/teaching purposes?

Thanks for your comments, and for writing such an interesting blog.

]]> by: Teacher Dude http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-488 Mon, 27 Nov 2006 04:12:01 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-488 I think that once we have the good enough connections in place Skype will be a great way for our students to practice in the classroom and at home. As for replacing classroom interaction completely, I think that this is still not really feasible yet for all kind of psychological reasons which have nothing to do with technology. Saying that, I think the tele - learning will be welcomed by those who don't have access to a teacher/classroom. If you don't leave in a big city where English is taught or your programme doesn't allow you to commute then I think that lessons over the internet offer a fair alternative. I think that once we have the good enough connections in place Skype will be a great way for our students to practice in the classroom and at home.

As for replacing classroom interaction completely, I think that this is still not really feasible yet for all kind of psychological reasons which have nothing to do with technology.

Saying that, I think the tele - learning will be welcomed by those who don’t have access to a teacher/classroom. If you don’t leave in a big city where English is taught or your programme doesn’t allow you to commute then I think that lessons over the internet offer a fair alternative.

]]> by: Scott I. http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-485 Wed, 22 Nov 2006 12:02:18 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-485 Hey guys, I work for Skype's PR firm performing user outreach. Would love to hear from any of you in more depth about how you're Skyping. This isn't spam or a marketing survey, sorry to clog up the comment stream! :) Hey guys, I work for Skype’s PR firm performing user outreach. Would love to hear from any of you in more depth about how you’re Skyping. This isn’t spam or a marketing survey, sorry to clog up the comment stream! :)

]]> by: Alex Savage http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-484 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:56:24 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-484 I've been trying to use various solutions such as skype, flashmeeting and HP Virtual Room for virtual teacher training. In fact, today I gave a presentation from my house to a group of teachers in Birmingham. This saved me a 9 hour round trip by car. However, it was really difficult to pick up on the mood and ability of the people I was training. I know that I taught them really well. However, I'm not convinced that they learnt as well as they would have if I'd been in the room with them. At the moment I think that virtual teaching has the potential to extend a learning conversation out of a classroom, but it can't replace real teaching. If you fancy reading an article I wrote recently on virtual training, go to http://www.learnblog.net/ict/2006/10/24/virtual-training-and-chocolate-cake/ I’ve been trying to use various solutions such as skype, flashmeeting and HP Virtual Room for virtual teacher training. In fact, today I gave a presentation from my house to a group of teachers in Birmingham. This saved me a 9 hour round trip by car.
However, it was really difficult to pick up on the mood and ability of the people I was training. I know that I taught them really well. However, I’m not convinced that they learnt as well as they would have if I’d been in the room with them.
At the moment I think that virtual teaching has the potential to extend a learning conversation out of a classroom, but it can’t replace real teaching.
If you fancy reading an article I wrote recently on virtual training, go to http://www.learnblog.net/ict/2006/10/24/virtual-training-and-chocolate-cake/

]]> by: ajk205 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-481 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 12:41:55 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/11/20/skype-in-the-classroom/#comment-481 I feel as though skypecasts may eventually become a plausible substitite for in class teaching, however, i dont feel that way now. Most places dont have the speed or technological continuity to create a skype class without numerous errors and headaches. I also feel that there is no substitute for in class communication and interaction between pupil and teacher. This interaction can be very important when forming a trusting and acountable relationship with your students. I could, however, see how a combination of class and online activities could work well for a classroom. Many activities would work as well online as they would in classroom, and lectures, work, or projects could simply be posted online. Using the internet to teach will only become easier and more user friendly as people begin to see it as a viable alternative to teaching in the classroom. I feel as though skypecasts may eventually become a plausible substitite for in class teaching, however, i dont feel that way now. Most places dont have the speed or technological continuity to create a skype class without numerous errors and headaches. I also feel that there is no substitute for in class communication and interaction between pupil and teacher. This interaction can be very important when forming a trusting and acountable relationship with your students. I could, however, see how a combination of class and online activities could work well for a classroom. Many activities would work as well online as they would in classroom, and lectures, work, or projects could simply be posted online. Using the internet to teach will only become easier and more user friendly as people begin to see it as a viable alternative to teaching in the classroom.

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