This slide show is a summary of how I integrated Skype into my Chinese language classroom and my thoughts and ideas of how it went.

1. 1. What is Skype?
2. Setting up a Skype Session
3. My Experience
4. Skype for Educators
5. Benefits of Skyping

2. Skype is a free internet communication facility
where you can connect with anyone anywhere in
the world for free. You can do this by;
– Skype phone
– Skype Video call
– Skype text messaging (SMS or Skype)
NOTE: There is also a paid version for discounted calls
and other Skype add ons.

3. What will you need? (Pre Skype session)
1. Goals and objectives - Why do you want to Skype?
- How does it fit into your programme?
- How will your students benefit?
2. A Skype account
3. Skype contacts
4. Hardware (equipment)
4.1 iPhone or suitable Android phones
4.2 iPad 2 or 3 or suitable tablet with Skype app or a laptop or
computer with Skype.
5. Webcam if you want to video conference (video chat), but all
iPhones, iPads have them already, and most laptops and computers
have them.
6. A mic, but all iPhones, iPads, laptops and computers have them.
7. Wireless or internet connection.
8. School change of routine form completed.

4. Setting up Skype
Skype is free, so google Skype or type in www.skype.com/ to set up your account.

5. It’s handy
leaving Skype
On your desktop

6. Search for Skype contact
Contact list
Your Skype contact Time a place of contact
Choose the call mode
Text chat
Text input
box
Green tick
means your
contact is
online
Configure your Skype account

7. Contact
List
The person you are calling is on the big screen
The caller
The screens are reversed for the person you are calling

8. Photo from previous page

9. What will your class need?
1.All that mentioned in slide 3, but also headphones, a
classroom and possibly a Smartboard. This depends on whether
you are having a guest speaker or starting with an introduction
of the whole class with their contacts, then Skyping individually.

10. Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano
GloballyConnectedLearning.com

11. The Good
We (partly) achieved our goals and objectives by establishing a weekly to fortnightly Skype
session for my Year 10, 11 and 12 Chinese language classes with a school in China.
The Bad
From the 50 minute periods, we only managed to establish 10 – 20 minutes
of talk time with our Skype contacts for 3/4s of the class and when this failed we used
resorted to Skype text.
Internet problems seemed to be the main culprit.
The Ugly
Out of the 10 sessions planned, 2 sessions went well, 5 sessions fell into “The Bad”
category, and in 3 sessions we did not establish any communication.

12. You and your students can benefit from Skyping with people from your local area
or someone on the other side of the world.
Benefits (some of these overlap)
1.Free – save money
2.Availability of resources eg speakers, Skype for Educators and other Web 2.0
sources.
3.Integrating more technology.
4.Gives students another medium to communicate.
5.iPad 2 friendly
6.Skyping is a great net working tool.
7.Communicate with students and teachers from around the world.
8.Research and case studies material can be the most recent – ie, communicating
with those in the know, for example a speaker or Skype students/teachers in
another country you are studying.
9.Other suggestions?
There are some elements of Skyping that are not that flash, see slide 11.

13. The IWB was great for getting the whole class focussed initially and seeing
their friends in a class setting.

16. The iPad 2 works very well, providing the network is capable.