Skype: The classroom of the future
What is it?
Skype allows people to make voice and visual calls over the internet by way of a software application. It is like most cell phone companies, it is free to call anyone who has the Skype software and landlines and cell phones can be made for a fee. Skype also has additional features which include instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing. The network is operated by Skype Limited in Luxembourg and partly owned by eBay.
How can it be used?
Skype can be used to view all parts of the world. Students and teachers in the classroom can use Skype to talk to other teachers, students or even use it to go on virtual tours to anywhere in the world.
Advantages:
Even an urban setting where most students cannot afford to have books or any other learning materials can use this to see the entire world. Several classrooms can get together and all watch Skype at the same time. This will allow for students to talk to other children in other classrooms across the world. In addition, virtual tours have become very prominent now. Students can go on tours of museums, oceans, mountains and even view the Seven Wonders of the World. Now, children will not be limited to money or space, because they will be able to view just about anything they want on Skype.
Disadvantages:
Skype can take a minute to buffer sometimes and can go in and out, as well as not working all together. However, as Skype becomes more readily used and our technology advances, which it will, and then I am sure that even Skype will be streamed in High Definition.
My Opinion:
Many people believe that one day, very soon, children will go to school by virtual means. The students will be dropped off at school like normal, but then will go to their classroom where there will be a projection screen and computers set up for all students and the teachers will be teaching virtually. I am not quite sure how I feel about this yet, but it is reality whether we want to face it or not. I do feel however, that some of this wonderful technology is starting to desensitize us as human beings and will continue to do so.
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