ULearn conference call on Skype

Download The_World_is_my_Classroom.mp3

Last month, during her workshop The World Is My Classroom at Ulearn 2010 in New Zealand, Allanah King asked me to talk to her delegates briefly about how I use Skype to communicate with colleagues in my personal learning network and record interviews with innovative educators from around the world.

I've known Allanah for about 4 years now, virtually speaking, thanks to Paul Harrington and their combined experiments with using Skype in the classroom and it was a pleasure to help out even if it was nearly midnight at the time in the UK!

To get a flavour of how Allanah, Paul, myself and others got into Skype, podcasting and networking with each other, have a listen to this excellent Booruch interview by David Noble which covers some of the root influences and motivations.

Thanks to Allanah for inviting me to speak. Good call!

Comments

[Carrie Tucker]

Hi,
My name is Carrie Tucker and I am in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class! We just did a skype interview and I found it very fascinating. It's great to see that through different forms of technology you are able to connect to so many different people from around the world. I hope to incorporate skype into my classroom! Thanks for sharing this information!

[Katlynq]

Hello Mr. Dale,
It's Katlyn again, from EDM 310 with Dr. Strange at the University of South Alabama. I have no idea what I would do without Skype. I moved from New Mexico to Alabama a few years ago and it is a great way to stay in touch with my friends. I had a friend go to Austria this past semester and I was able to talk to him frequently and it cost me nothing. Without Skype this would not have been possible. Not only is Skype wonder for keeping up with friends but it can also be used as an education tool as well. This EDM class has shown me that. Thank you again for another informative and interesting post.

[Jill Royall]

Hi Joe
I have booked a place on your course in Bath next Thursday and I was wondering whether you could give me a quick outline on what you will be doing so I know which of my colleagues would get the most from it. I was sent the agenda today but it didn't say very much about it. Could you explain a little about what Group Talk is?? Many thanks
all the best
Jill Royall
Mangotsfield School
Bristol

[Joe Dale]

Hi Jill,

The course is divided into 2 modules looking at different ways of promoting speaking skills.

Module 1 is about using Audacity, creating Vokis and making an interactive dialogue with embedded mp3 files in PowerPoint.

Module 2 concerns Group Talk. Have a look at this clip from Teachers TV for an overview:
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/mfl-implementing-the-group-talk-initiative-and-other-strategies

Hope that helps

Joe

[Jameson Branch]

Mr. Dale,
My name is Jameson Branch. I'm a student at the University of South Alabama. I think what you're doing with your blog is great! People need to be informed of the great benefits of technology in the classroom. Providing them with the information and where it can be found is the first step to reforming the educational realm. Thank you for educating on the usefulness of Skype. I recently conducted a Skype interview of my own, as a part of Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. It fascinated me how useful such a tool can be for collaboration among students, teachers, and colleagues! Great post!

[Malissa Matheny]

Hi, I am a student at the University of Alabama in Dr. Strange's EDM 310 technology class. Great way to introduce and integrate technology through your workshop, even if you are a beginner such as myself this semester it is not overwhelming. I think it is awesome that you want to bring the world to your classroom and introduce the advantages it has to implementing these tools in your professional life as well as your personal. Keep up the innovative learning and have fun.