Skype

In case you're not familiar with Skype, it's a video service available over the computer and an internet connection. Users sign up and create a free account. Once you know someone else who uses Skype, you can "call" them on your computer. Skype shows a video of the person you're talking to (similar to FaceTime on Apple's newest iPhone), so it's the closest thing to a face-to-face conversation you can have via technology.

I've brainstormed a few ideas on how to use Skype in schools:

1. A group of students could Skype with penpals instead of just communicating by traditional letter.
2. Perhaps the teacher could contact a famous author or motivational speaker to Skype with her students. This could even work for "career talks" -- feature a professional in a career of your choice to speak to the kids about his job.
3.  Maybe things like academic debates, speeches, and group collaborations could be done via Skype...?
4. If a speaker is needed for a school-wide assembly, but the speaker's schedule conflicts with the meeting, fire up Skype! The speaker may not be able to see the entire student body via web cam, but at least the students could see the speaker and still hear the message.

 At school, you would need an internet connection, the Skype account, a web cam (which comes with Apple computers and some PCs), and speakers.  ...Plus, you know, internet access for all students! :)

Eventually, wouldn't it be cool to be able to broadcast information to all students on snow days?! Skype may be a way that we can do this.