Comments on: Do -you- use Skype in the language classroom? If so, the Christian Science Monitor wants to know. http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/ It's Not Your 8th grade Language Lab Anymore! Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:48:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Colleen Coffey &Janet Banhidi http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-672 Colleen Coffey &Janet Banhidi Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:35:38 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-672 We began using Skype at Marquette University as a central part to our curriculum for an intensive intermediate course thanks to Todd Bryant and the MIXXER. This Fall 6 classes will spend an hour in the lab meeting as a global language learning community. We have partnered with another University in Cali, Colombia and develop curriculum specifically for these virtual language exchanges with their English instructors. I have observed only positive impact on the new landscape of the language classroom and the language and cultural competency of the language learners. colleen.coffey@mu.edu We began using Skype at Marquette University as a central part to our curriculum for an intensive intermediate course thanks to Todd Bryant and the MIXXER. This Fall 6 classes will spend an hour in the lab meeting as a global language learning community. We have partnered with another University in Cali, Colombia and develop curriculum specifically for these virtual language exchanges with their English instructors. I have observed only positive impact on the new landscape of the language classroom and the language and cultural competency of the language learners. colleen.coffey@mu.edu

]]> By: Doug Worsham http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-671 Doug Worsham Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:58:04 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-671 Skype is a very useful tool for language instructors that want to bring in authentic voices from the target culture. This <a href="http://babel.lss.wisc.edu/lss/blog/?p=42" rel="nofollow"> post</a> to the <a href="http://babel.lss.wisc.edu/lss/blog/" rel="nofollow">L&S LSS blog</a> shows how Patricia Rengel, a Spanish instructor at UW-Madison uses Skype to record conversations with writers, artists, activists, and politicians from throughout the Spanish speaking world. Here's an excerpt: <blockquote cite="http://babel.lss.wisc.edu/lss/blog/?p=42">Commenting on the role this technology has played in her class, Rengel notes that "borders can be perceived as barriers. However, Voice over IP technology has allowed us to dissolve borders and barriers by bringing over eight different Spanish language accents into our classrooms. We've gone "global" with live interviews of native-speakers from the Caribbean, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, Spain, and Nicaragua. Ten to twenty minute audio clips immerse the students in the authentic language of outstanding writers, activists, musicians throughout the Spanish-speaking world. It's been an incredible experience for both the instructors and students!"</blockquote> To read the entire post, see <a href="http://babel.lss.wisc.edu/lss/blog/?p=42" rel="nofollow">http://babel.lss.wisc.edu/lss/blog/?p=42</a> Skype is a very useful tool for language instructors that want to bring in authentic voices from the target culture.

This post to the L&S LSS blog shows how Patricia Rengel, a Spanish instructor at UW-Madison uses Skype to record conversations with writers, artists, activists, and politicians from throughout the Spanish speaking world. Here’s an excerpt:

Commenting on the role this technology has played in her class, Rengel notes that “borders can be perceived as barriers. However, Voice over IP technology has allowed us to dissolve borders and barriers by bringing over eight different Spanish language accents into our classrooms. We’ve gone “global” with live interviews of native-speakers from the Caribbean, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, Spain, and Nicaragua. Ten to twenty minute audio clips immerse the students in the authentic language of outstanding writers, activists, musicians throughout the Spanish-speaking world. It’s been an incredible experience for both the instructors and students!”

To read the entire post, see http://babel.lss.wisc.edu/lss/blog/?p=42

]]> By: Laura http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-670 Laura Fri, 20 Jul 2007 02:02:27 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-670 I have been using skype this past year and plan to use it this Fall to make my online French courses more interactive. I think one of the drawbacks of many language courses is the lack of real-world, meaningful communication. Skype can enable this. The conference call feature can be used for study groups and collaborative projects. Skype can also be handy for online tutoring. I have been using skype this past year and plan to use it this Fall to make my online French courses more interactive. I think one of the drawbacks of many language courses is the lack of real-world, meaningful communication. Skype can enable this. The conference call feature can be used for study groups and collaborative projects.

Skype can also be handy for online tutoring.

]]> By: Chris Craft http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-669 Chris Craft Wed, 18 Jul 2007 02:33:58 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-669 I have used Skype with 6th grade students in an exploratory Spanish class to connect with a classroom in Peru via live video, all over Skype. It was based around a project my kids did investigating the Peruvian culture and trying to get a feel for life in South America. We then connected via Skype to ask how we did! My kids got a lot out of the exchange. I am in Lima, Peru right now developing contacts with schools in the area in preparation for next year and future Skype conferences, both using the video feed and without. I intend to *try* to reach into the more remote parts of the peruvian jungle but bandwidth there can be a problem. I'd be happy to tell you more, find me at www.crucialthought.com and use the contact me form. Yours, Chris Craft www.christophercraft.com www.crucialthought.com I have used Skype with 6th grade students in an exploratory Spanish class to connect with a classroom in Peru via live video, all over Skype. It was based around a project my kids did investigating the Peruvian culture and trying to get a feel for life in South America. We then connected via Skype to ask how we did! My kids got a lot out of the exchange.

I am in Lima, Peru right now developing contacts with schools in the area in preparation for next year and future Skype conferences, both using the video feed and without. I intend to *try* to reach into the more remote parts of the peruvian jungle but bandwidth there can be a problem. I’d be happy to tell you more, find me at

http://www.crucialthought.com and use the contact me form.

Yours,

Chris Craft
http://www.christophercraft.com
http://www.crucialthought.com

]]> By: Todd http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-668 Todd Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:05:28 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-668 We'll hopefully have between 15 and 20 classes (this academic year) doing Skype exchanges as a regular part of their course. Language exchanges have been around a long time, and they'll only get easier. The technology will certainly change at some point, but Skype's future is looking pretty good for the foreseeable future. We’ll hopefully have between 15 and 20 classes (this academic year) doing Skype exchanges as a regular part of their course. Language exchanges have been around a long time, and they’ll only get easier. The technology will certainly change at some point, but Skype’s future is looking pretty good for the foreseeable future.

]]> By: Barbara Lindsey http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-667 Barbara Lindsey Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:02:29 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-667 Hi Barbara, We've been using Skype for several years now in our Critical Languages Program (Professor Manuela Wagner is the Director) to connect our students with our outside examiners during midterms and finals. If we had more money in our budget (to pay the OEs for their time), they would be using Skype more often to connect with the OEs. Hi Barbara,

We’ve been using Skype for several years now in our Critical Languages Program (Professor Manuela Wagner is the Director) to connect our students with our outside examiners during midterms and finals. If we had more money in our budget (to pay the OEs for their time), they would be using Skype more often to connect with the OEs.

]]> By: felix http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-666 felix Tue, 17 Jul 2007 21:52:49 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-666 I have used Skype quite a bit, as have other faculty at our college. While there are alternatives (iChat, Gizmo, etc.), Skype is the most standardized, has the best sound quality (video is better on iChat, though), is cross-platform, has a lot of extra addons, and offers skypecasts. I think the ability to speak to native speakers thousands of miles away for free makes this an essential teaching and learning tool for languages. Haven't had any technical problems here yet, though video can be slow if one side has a less than optimal connection. Definitely in the top 10 of current language learning (and teaching) technologies for me. I have used Skype quite a bit, as have other faculty at our college. While there are alternatives (iChat, Gizmo, etc.), Skype is the most standardized, has the best sound quality (video is better on iChat, though), is cross-platform, has a lot of extra addons, and offers skypecasts. I think the ability to speak to native speakers thousands of miles away for free makes this an essential teaching and learning tool for languages. Haven’t had any technical problems here yet, though video can be slow if one side has a less than optimal connection. Definitely in the top 10 of current language learning (and teaching) technologies for me.

]]> By: Mark Knowles http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-665 Mark Knowles Tue, 17 Jul 2007 19:56:35 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-665 I was asked to present Skype to a workshop sponsored by the French Resource Center at Yale a little over a year ago as a way of sustaining relationships created in high school exchange programs. I have recently met with director Sharon Straka and assistant director Anne-Celine Cardot and they informed me that many of the teachers who attended the presentation are, indeed, making use of Skype and that commuication within the State of Connecticut/Toulouse regional exchange programs have improved as a result. As Doug Canfield pointed out in his IALLT presentation on Skype, it may not be forever that Skype will be a suggested VOIP tool because of a French governmental displeasure with it, but if teachers and students are making calls from their home computers, even in the Hexagon we might see its use proliferate. I was asked to present Skype to a workshop sponsored by the French Resource Center at Yale a little over a year ago as a way of sustaining relationships created in high school exchange programs. I have recently met with director Sharon Straka and assistant director Anne-Celine Cardot and they informed me that many of the teachers who attended the presentation are, indeed, making use of Skype and that commuication within the State of Connecticut/Toulouse regional exchange programs have improved as a result. As Doug Canfield pointed out in his IALLT presentation on Skype, it may not be forever that Skype will be a suggested VOIP tool because of a French governmental displeasure with it, but if teachers and students are making calls from their home computers, even in the Hexagon we might see its use proliferate.

]]> By: Barbara http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-664 Barbara Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:27:33 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-664 Judi: he wants to know about how language teachers are using Skype, and only Skype. 'Tis a shame about those crashes, tho. We have not had problems in that regard, especially if students have their own accounts vs shared accounts. Judi: he wants to know about how language teachers are using Skype, and only Skype. ‘Tis a shame about those crashes, tho. We have not had problems in that regard, especially if students have their own accounts vs shared accounts.

]]> By: judi http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-663 judi Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:25:32 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/07/17/do-you-use-skype-in-the-language-classroom-if-so-the-christian-science-monitor-wants-to-know/#comment-663 Does it have to be Skype in particular? We have used several video/audio/text chat applications for our Japanese Video Conference. Students first use the Polycom for group-group interaction, then move into our iMac lab for one-on-one video chats. Unfortunately, using Skype on the Mac platform on our side and on the PC platform in Japan resulted in many computer crashes on their end. We have settled on MSN Messenger running in Windows in both locations (via Bootcamp on our side). Does it have to be Skype in particular? We have used several video/audio/text chat applications for our Japanese Video Conference. Students first use the Polycom for group-group interaction, then move into our iMac lab for one-on-one video chats.

Unfortunately, using Skype on the Mac platform on our side and on the PC platform in Japan resulted in many computer crashes on their end. We have settled on MSN Messenger running in Windows in both locations (via Bootcamp on our side).

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