The Moss-Free Stone

Alan November tells the story of being taught Skype by a 16-year old student after he had presented a workshop. I learned about it at another session he presented a little over a year ago. He has some good recommendations for classroom applications of Skype. (The first thing he advocates, by the way, is to spend $15 and get a gamer’s headset.)

I would also spend $25 and purchase a simple webcam. This is a bargain-basement means of creating a distance-learning/videoconferencing setup, and, if the participant on the other end is a Skype user, it will all be free. A great site to hook up with other educators for collaborative projects is ePals. Skype provides an excellent means of communication with partner classroom small groups or individuals, as well.

He describes librarians as “global communication directors.” People who know how to communicate globally (with the skillset and ethics), will be better suited for the modern marketplace. Echoing the “Scare ‘Em” thoughts of David Warlick, Alan says it might be scary, but it is scarier NOT to use these tools.