14 DAY TRIAL // Skype has already proven to be the most popular VoIP (Voice over IP) applications due to the increasing number of users it attracts. Its latest project is dedicated mainly to teachers and it has recently graduated from its Beta stage. Called Skype in the Classroom, this endeavor is meant to help educators all over the world to get connected and improve their teaching experiences.
Originally launched in December 2010 in Beta stage, Skype in the Classroom has grown and is currently used by more than 5000 teachers from 99 countries.
According to the Skype team, this project aims to enable users to “collaborate with partner classrooms, find like-minded teachers, and share teaching resources and inspiration around the globe.”
The majority of the teachers involved in this network have relied on the newly created community to coordinate Skype projects with other schools.
In order to become a part of Skype in the Classroom, one simply needs to log into their Skype account, then create a profile describing their interests and skills.
Once this step is completed, they can start searching by location, map or keyword to locate a teacher, resource or project.
In other words, any professor or educator can join a project they find appealing, as long as they can contribute to its completion or improvement.
Another reason why teachers will find this project interesting is that it offers them the possibility to present the projects they are currently involved in and to look for a suitable partner from overseas.
Overall, Skype in the Classroom is all about sharing and finding resources, ideas, information or even advice that would otherwise take a lot of time to obtain.
As Skype spokeswoman Jacqueline Botterill said, “There are a number of online platforms that were trying to galvanize those communities, but they’re quite fragmented and disparate, so we’re trying to create one place where teachers can come together.”
One can only hope that this initiative will be encouraged and adopted by as many teachers as possible, regardless of their location, native language, or studies.