Education Trends: The Flipped Classroom | Piktochart Blog

Education Trends: The Flipped Classroom | Piktochart Blog
Here is a great Piktochart Explaining the Flipped Classroom

Using Skype and Vent as an Educational Tool

Skype is a  program that can be used for video conferencing and voice streaming to collaborate with people from different locations. Skype has the ability to stream video and voice along with instant messaging and screen sharing. The user needs a webcam, an Internet connection, a microphone, speakers, and the Skype software application. Skype is also free to anyone who has loaded the software onto their computer or mobile device. Up to 25 participants can connect at once for free if everyone is using the Skype application. However, there are additional features available if you pay the fees for the premium package. In addition, Skype has a support page which explains the needed bandwidth depending on the number of participants and what features you are using. Skype Support on Bandwidth: https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA1417/how-much-bandwidth-does-skype-need

I was unfamiliar with Vent, which I found out is short for Ventrilo.  When I asked around at work, one of the guys in our technology department told me that he used Vent when he played games on his computer so he could carry on a live chat with his gaming buddies. He went on to explain that his friend paid a monthly fee of $10.00 to rent and be the administrator of a Vent server. The server admin had permissions to issue logons to his gaming friends and could allow them to chat and help one another while collaborating or teaming together during the games. In order to participate, each gamer must load the Vent client to join in the voice stream which runs about 24-32 kbps for 10 to 15 users. In addition, the administrator can give specific rights or deny rights to each gamer in which a logon has been created. However, my colleague stated that he preferred to use Skype because there were latency issues with his Vent voice stream. And when playing in a gaming environment in which you depend on others to help you progress or survive in the game, latency could be detrimental to your online character.

What are the benefits to using these applications for education? What is lost? We use Skype in the libraries to bring real experts into the classroom which otherwise might not be able to visit our students.  We have Skyped with authors of the books in our libraries, community members, and famous characters. Our students are always engaged when they participate in a video conference with our Skype guests. Skype allows students to interact with people in real-time giving them the ability to ask questions and explore new experiences in which they might not be able to encounter without a free video conferencing application. With the implementation of so many iPads and other mobile devices in our schools, Skype is an inexpensive app that can be easily accessed and utilized on any level.

Yet, Skype or other programs similar to Skype such as Vent are not a replacement for the teacher. Instead, these programs can enrich any educational activity. For example, teachers can set up a Skype time in the evenings in which students with homework questions can interact with the teacher in order to get tutoring or other needed clarification. However, this approach might not work well with all learners. The teacher comfort of using the technology and the students’ learning styles should always be a consideration when discovering new methodologies of instructional strategies.