Advantages of Skpe:
- Downloadable, free software
- Connect with friends all over the world
- Telemedicine
- Cheap (for when you have to pay)
- Save money on phone bills
- Can be slow
- Have to be connected to the Internet
- A lot of people can find you and add you, even if contacts can be blocked
- Requirements (computer, webcam)
- Need to pay for some of the uses
In addition to personal
communication among peers, Skype is also used extensively in educational,
corporate and medical settings. In a study conducted by Pavel Samsonov, an
associate professor of educational technology at the University of Louisianna
at Lafayette, Skype was used to test the effectiveness of learning at various
K-12 school districts. One particular student who was homebound due to a
complicated pregnancy admitted that she would have dropped out of school were
it not for Skype. As concluded by Samsonov, “Skype technology can be effective
in providing the homebound with an almost ‘being there’ opportunity to be
involved in the classroom learning” (Herbert, 20). Before the development of
this online tool, many students would have been held back due to illness or
pregnancy. This modern application permits students in serious circumstances to
remain current with their academic responsibilities. Moreover, Skye permits
students to chat with each other as well as their teachers in real time. This
student-teacher interaction encourages socialization and improves retention
levels. With the recent rise in home-schooled students, Skype proves to be an
invaluable learning tool.
