Comments on: A ubiquitous tool–pros and cons http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/ technology, libraries, and schools Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:29:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Cathy Nelson http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1719 Cathy Nelson Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:50:04 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/#comment-1719 I will share these three- http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2007/07/24/a-little-used-tool-of-mine-came-in-really-handy-this-summer/ http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/02/21/it-was-going-well-until/ http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/03/14/scasl-conference-reflections/ Of course there is an article I just did for the SCASL Media Center Messenger I could mail to you as well. Look for it in an email. I will share these three-

http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2007/07/24/a-little-used-tool-of-mine-came-in-really-handy-this-summer/

http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/02/21/it-was-going-well-until/

http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/03/14/scasl-conference-reflections/

Of course there is an article I just did for the SCASL Media Center Messenger I could mail to you as well. Look for it in an email.

]]> By: Diana http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1718 Diana Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:40:26 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/#comment-1718 I use skype as a tool for connecting with people around the world as well as with other educators for professional collaboration and professional development. In addition, there was this great moment that happened in class earlier this year that Wes Fryer blogged about "The reality of our flat world was also confirmed this evening as I was blogging and received a Skype IM and then Skype audio call from Diana Laufenberg, a teacher at Mount Elden Middle School in Flagstaff, Arizona. She had read about the poor air quality in Shanghai on Will Richardson’s blog, and thought she’d skype me (since I was online and available) to get a firsthand report for her students. How cool is THAT?! Alan November would be proud… Diana is certainly making her “classroom a global communications center” as Alan encourages!" http://tinyurl.com/2lw8gg The students were absolutely captivated that we were able to connect with someone halfway around the world. Although we were not able to get video, the students still quietly stared at the screen with only a voice projecting, amazed. Skype is a tool that allows for the world to be a part of a classroom that desperately needs to be a part of the world in order to be educationally meaningful and relevant. I use skype as a tool for connecting with people around the world as well as with other educators for professional collaboration and professional development. In addition, there was this great moment that happened in class earlier this year that Wes Fryer blogged about
“The reality of our flat world was also confirmed this evening as I was blogging and received a Skype IM and then Skype audio call from Diana Laufenberg, a teacher at Mount Elden Middle School in Flagstaff, Arizona. She had read about the poor air quality in Shanghai on Will Richardson’s blog, and thought she’d skype me (since I was online and available) to get a firsthand report for her students. How cool is THAT?! Alan November would be proud… Diana is certainly making her “classroom a global communications center” as Alan encourages!” http://tinyurl.com/2lw8gg

The students were absolutely captivated that we were able to connect with someone halfway around the world. Although we were not able to get video, the students still quietly stared at the screen with only a voice projecting, amazed.

Skype is a tool that allows for the world to be a part of a classroom that desperately needs to be a part of the world in order to be educationally meaningful and relevant.

]]> By: Brian Crosby http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1717 Brian Crosby Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:35:19 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/#comment-1717 Here you go Carolyn - each of these is a different example: www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=191 www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=196 www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=254 www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=219 www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=343 learningismessy.com/blog/?p=386 Here you go Carolyn – each of these is a different example:
http://www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=191

http://www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=196

http://www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=254

http://www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=219

http://www.learningismessy.com/blog/?p=343

learningismessy.com/blog/?p=386

]]> By: Tim http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1716 Tim Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:20:01 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/#comment-1716 Our IT department doesn't like us using Skype but so far has not blocked it. Our firewall doesn't allow incoming calls so we must initiate the conversation when we use it and IT will block an individual computer if Skype turns it into a "supernode". I'm not totally sure what that is but I understand it will not happen if you don't leave Skype connected for long periods of time. I also found a little script posted by a university IT department that edits the registry on a Windows machine and turns off the ability to become a supernode. You can find it here: https://www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/view/CF/SkypeConfiguration As far as actual use, we were able to get our curriculum specialists to approve Skype for use by teachers only. But that's not really a handicap since teachers should be supervising any classroom use of a program like this anyway. For that reason, we expect that the teacher will know who they and the students are talking to and will restrict the information given by the kids appropriately. However, we really don't have many teachers who have tried using Skype for instructional purposes. And most of those have been between two schools in our district, not into the outside world. But that's a start! Our IT department doesn’t like us using Skype but so far has not blocked it. Our firewall doesn’t allow incoming calls so we must initiate the conversation when we use it and IT will block an individual computer if Skype turns it into a “supernode”.

I’m not totally sure what that is but I understand it will not happen if you don’t leave Skype connected for long periods of time. I also found a little script posted by a university IT department that edits the registry on a Windows machine and turns off the ability to become a supernode. You can find it here: https://www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/view/CF/SkypeConfiguration

As far as actual use, we were able to get our curriculum specialists to approve Skype for use by teachers only. But that’s not really a handicap since teachers should be supervising any classroom use of a program like this anyway. For that reason, we expect that the teacher will know who they and the students are talking to and will restrict the information given by the kids appropriately.

However, we really don’t have many teachers who have tried using Skype for instructional purposes. And most of those have been between two schools in our district, not into the outside world. But that’s a start!

]]> By: Chris Champion http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1715 Chris Champion Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:43:59 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/#comment-1715 We've collated some pages to continue the argument for and against Skype in Education here: http://www.EduWiki.us/Skype Cheers! Chris We’ve collated some pages to continue the argument for and against Skype in Education here:

http://www.EduWiki.us/Skype

Cheers!
Chris

]]> By: JenniferW http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1714 JenniferW Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:27:49 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/#comment-1714 We use SKYPE occasionally on our campus -- and as one of the IT staff, I can tell you that we have no real issues with bandwidth issues. We do have possible security issues that we stay aware of -- and you might wish to check out these articles: http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,105760,00.html http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2005/121205-skype-test.html We have NOT yet tried SKYPE with Video -- but we did host a conference call with 8 other classrooms and had no connectivity issues at all. The classes which have used SKYPE so far are K6 classrooms. The teacher initiates the phone call and all students participate. We did not use headsets, had an external microphone, and a good set of speakers. The kids enjoyed (very much) the ability to converse with classrooms ALL over the world. Hope this helps a bit. Jen We use SKYPE occasionally on our campus — and as one of the IT staff, I can tell you that we have no real issues with bandwidth issues. We do have possible security issues that we stay aware of — and you might wish to check out these articles:

http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,105760,00.html

http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/2005/121205-skype-test.html

We have NOT yet tried SKYPE with Video — but we did host a conference call with 8 other classrooms and had no connectivity issues at all.

The classes which have used SKYPE so far are K6 classrooms. The teacher initiates the phone call and all students participate. We did not use headsets, had an external microphone, and a good set of speakers.

The kids enjoyed (very much) the ability to converse with classrooms ALL over the world.

Hope this helps a bit.
Jen

]]> By: Paul R. Wood http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1713 Paul R. Wood Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:14:29 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/#comment-1713 We have been using it away from the facility and are trying a couple of things out. I would think some directors have a problem with opening the ports you would need to open in order to have things flowing properly. We are working on those things now but our first priority is to increase our bandwidth to cover the basics. We only have a single T-1 and that is very sluggish for all we do. Will stay in touch about our progress. We have been using it away from the facility and are trying a couple of things out. I would think some directors have a problem with opening the ports you would need to open in order to have things flowing properly. We are working on those things now but our first priority is to increase our bandwidth to cover the basics. We only have a single T-1 and that is very sluggish for all we do. Will stay in touch about our progress.

]]> By: Christine http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/comment-page-1/#comment-1712 Christine Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:58:42 +0000 http://futura.edublogs.org/2008/03/25/a-ubiquitous-tool-pros-and-cons/#comment-1712 Not sure I offer up much information but I love Skype and think it is a valuable tool. Our district just shut it down because they shut down all peer-to-peer programs. We currently have certain machines we can do it on but the use of Skype is under discussion at the district level. They are at least open to conversation which is promising. We will see how it turns out. Not sure I offer up much information but I love Skype and think it is a valuable tool. Our district just shut it down because they shut down all peer-to-peer programs. We currently have certain machines we can do it on but the use of Skype is under discussion at the district level. They are at least open to conversation which is promising. We will see how it turns out.

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