Mitzi Helms Web 2.

0 Advocate Part II

Skype as an Instructional Technology Tool

Pulaski County Elementary School is a Title I funded school located in a small farming community of central Georgia. The county is home to almost 9,600 people. Approximately 700 students attend schools within the county. Of that number, almost 450 students are classified as poverty level. A teacher came to me seeking information about using Skype in the classroom. As the school technology leader, I began to inquire into the usage of this Web 2.0 tool in his classroom. Since Skype is a videoconferencing tool, the school server blocks its use. After a discussion of how he wanted to integrate Skype into the curriculum, I agreed that he had a legitimate reason to use Skype as an instructional tool. This teacher inquired about the process to have the site unblocked for use at the school. Skype is a Web 2.0 tool that allows teachers to work together across the globe finding partner classes and guest speakers. Schools from different locations can come together and globally exchange ideas and subjects of interest without ever leaving the classroom. Skype has launched this type of communication just for teachers and students to collaborate on. Students are only allowed to use Skype with teacher supervision and privacy settings can be set for added protection. Pulaski County Schools do not have a formal process in which to request certain sites are unblocked for instructional purposes. I consulted with the school principal, Dale Garnto, and was directed to contact, via email, the school district Technology Director, Robin White. After several days, we talked in depth by telephone and it was decided that Skype would be an appropriate tool to use in the classroom. The entire process was definitely worth the trouble and was indeed a reasonable request from the teacher. I do feel that a formal request process

Mitzi Helms Web 2.0 Advocate Part II

should be implemented into Pulaski Countys School Technology Plan. As educators in the 21st Century, expanding student knowledge through new, innovative, and interesting approaches is an important component within the curriculum.

Mitzi Helms Web 2.0 Advocate Part II

References
www.georgia.gov- Pulaski County (2010) Retrieved from http://pulaskicounty.georgia.gov/03/home/0,2230,8969409,00.html

Georgia Department of Education (2010) Retrieved from http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx? PageReq=104&SchoolId=21865&T=1&FY=2010

Skype in the Classroom (2011) Retrieved from http://www.futuregov.asia/articles/2011/apr/01/skype-classroom/

About Skype in the classroom (2011) Retrieved from http://education.skype.com/about