Podcast Summary: Around the World With Skype

I found a podcast entitled "Around the World with Skype." This podcast can be found here. This podcast talked about the tool Skype and how it can be used in the classroom. I already knew that Skype was a video conference application that allows people to set up a video chat and see eachother face to face. The podcast said that Skype could be used in the classroom for a variety of different things. It said it can be used for "how-to's." This tool would be a great resource for students who are trying to learn how to do something new. The teacher could set up a calling time and the expert could show the class the skill via Skype.

The podcast also talks about how it can create connections across the world. With skype, students would be able to talk with people 100 miles away or 10,000 miles away. This is an excellent way for students to get a better idea of different cultures and see how people really are from different areas of the world. The podcast also talked about "bridging the divide" and that using Skype could really bring people from different countries together.

This tool uses all three E's. Using Skype is very effcient. It saves a lot of time becuase there is no travel required, but it is almost as if you have traveled to that part of the world instantly. It is effective because students will be very interested to use this new technology and will love to meet different people from around the world and country. It also enhances the learning experience as well. If a class was learning how to speak Spanish, being able to Skype with a native Spanish speaker would be a great opportunity to get a better understanding of the language.