Skype Play

Anniversary Celebration via Skype

In light of Valentine's Day this past February, you may remember us suggesting the various ways long distance couples could use Skype to spend the special holiday together, no matter how many miles kept them apart. While many couples around the globe may have had virtual Valentine's Day dates via video call, using Skype with loved ones isn't only limited to holidays. That's why when we saw the uplifting story of a couple celebrating their first anniversary together over Skype, we wanted to share it with you.

The 1,000 miles between Karly Sias and her boyfriend Andrew Roeser have caused them to turn to technology to keep up-to-date on each other's lives. With Sias interning at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota and Roeser in his senior year at Central Michigan University, scheduling time to connect could've been difficult. To help combat their busy schedules and the states between them, the couple decided to schedule weekly Skype dates each Sunday to catch up with each other face-to-face. Just weeks ago, they celebrated their 1-year anniversary with help from their 'technology lifeline.'

We love hearing how Skype has enabled people connect to their significant others no matter where they are. Have you used Skype to keep in touch with your significant other? Do you have any special tips for virtual dates via Skype? Leave a comment and share with us.

Celebrating International Guitar Month with Denison Witmer... and Skype

April is International Guitar Month - and to celebrate, we found out how Philadelphia-based musician Denison Witmer uses Skype to share his music with his fans and balance his work and family life. Just read on to find out more...

For many musicians, the only way to truly stay in touch with their fans is to get out on the road and perform their material live. But, when Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Denison Witmer turned down a European tour in order to be with his wife when their son was born, he found an innovative way of using Skype to make sure that he could reward his fans with live performances, without having to sacrifice precious family time.

In order to continue performing and make sure that he kept his voice and acoustic guitar playing fresh, Denison came up with the ingenious idea of offering fans the chance to enjoy a personalized one-song session - via Skype video call.

Denison was already familiar with the benefits of Skype, as he had previously used it on both his iPhone and computer so he could keep in touch with his family when he couldn't be with them, particularly when he was on the road in Europe.

Realizing that he could just as easily use Skype to keep in touch with his fans while he spent time with his wife and son, he launched a service where, for just $25, he would perform an intimate one-song gig with a paying-fan getting to pick the track they most wanted to hear.

And, as Denison has released nine albums, including this year's 'The Ones Who Wait,' there are plenty of tracks for fans to choose from.

Since launching the service, he has performed around 30 Skype concerts to fans across the U.S. and as far away as South Korea - all from the comfort of his Pennsylvania home or studio.

The Skype concert experience

For Denison's fans, the Skype concerts provide a rare chance to enjoy a personalized, face-to-face, intimate performance by their favorite musician - something that most musicians' fans can only dream of experiencing.

Whether they choose to invite their friends around to listen too, watch the performance in their living room in their PJs or - as one fan did - enjoy Denison's music at a candle-lit birthday dinner on a beach, they're sure to have an experience that they'll remember forever.

But it's not just the fans who have gained from the Skype concert experience. Denison says he's discovered some key differences between Skype concerts and traditional gigs too: "The Skype concerts are a totally different and dynamic experience. They give me an opportunity to talk with my fans face-to-face before or after I perform a song, as well as show me my fans' real time reaction to the performance."

To find out more about Denison Witmer, visit his official website. You can buy downloadable versions of two albums of material from his 'Live in Your Living Room' sessions via his site, as well as his latest album, 'The Ones Who Wait,' and book your very own Denison Witmer Skype concert.

Have you enjoyed a Denison Witmer Skype concert? What did you like about it? Which artists would you like to see offering Skype video call concerts? Are you a musician planning to offer Skype concerts? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Teacher Stays Connected with Students Through Skype During Cancer Treatment

We love hearing about the many innovative and heart-warming ways people are using Skype to better connect with their friends, families and colleagues. That's why we were so inspired by the story of Kaylene Kramer, an Ohio-based teacher and mother of two.

A story originally reported by ABC 13 in Toledo detailed Kramer's ordeal: she was diagnosed with and began treatment for breast cancer in October of last year. As a display of her incredible strength, she decided it was important to keep connected with her students every three weeks using Skype video calling during her time away from the classroom.

During her treatment process, Kramer is continuing to use Skype to keep in touch with her first-grade students, read them stories and provide them with updates on her progress.

Teacher Kaylene Kramer checks in with her class on a Skype video call from her hospital recovery room. (Image c/o 13ABC.com)

Have you heard of an inspiring Skype story from your hometown? If so, please share with us in the comments!

Veterinary Hospice Skype Consultations

Are you an animal lover? If you are, you can likely relate to other pet owners who will do anything for their favorite furry loved one when they're sick. That's exactly why we found it so inspiring when we heard about a veterinary hospice, Lap of Love, which now offers Skype consultations for families and their ill pets from afar.

Acknowledging that the most important part of assisting families through the death of their pet is communication, Lap of Love decided to offer video call consultations from the veterinary hospice to patient's homes in order to minimize the stress of the illness and the hassle of getting to the doctor's office for both the family and animal. Through these consultations, Dr. Dani McVety, Dr. Mary Gardner, and Dr. Karri Miller of Lap of Love are able to provide treatment options, as well as expert tips on how to best manage a pet's health at the end of their life, to otherwise inaccessible families scattered across the country.

In just over a month, Lap of Love has already helped five families deal with their pet's illness through video calls. "With the Skype consultations, patients can talk with a veterinary oncologist in their home - and I can actually see their pet in his/her natural environment! This means no scary vet visit and no tearful car ride," Dr. McVety said. "This also means there are no rash decisions made in the exam room - the family has time to think and talk about what their options are and what they should do. It just makes so much sense."

What is an innovative way you've used Skype for recently? Leave a comment and share with us.

The Visualization of a Skype Friendship

Ever wonder how much time you spend on Skype? The minutes or hours one spends instant messaging with friends, calling home via voice or video call, screen sharing with co-workers and more can really add up! That's why we love the story of two friends, Julia Laub and Cedric Kiefer who have spent a large amount of their time keeping in touch via Skype.

Formerly design classmates in Berlin, Germany, Julia and Cedric regularly held calls or exchanged instant messages as they worked together. After years of working together, the two decided to start a design studio, onformative. When their design studio celebrated its one year anniversary, Julia and Cedric used their creativity and designed a poster representing their Skype correspondence over the years. Showcasing the years of collaborating virtually together, Julia and Cedric commented, "We love Skype and we love data graphics. What, then, makes more sense than designing a data graphic of our Skype communication?" All in all, they had 62,676 messages exchanged via Skype over the past three years!

Is there someone you speak to frequently via Skype? Leave a comment and share your Skype story with us.

Need some support but short on time? Try online therapy...

Online counseling and therapy is becoming more popular than ever for busy people. Online therapy can be a valuable tool, whether you have specific issues you want to talk about or whether you want to take a holistic approach to your health and well-being. It can be tough taking time out to go to sessions in-person, so there are a growing number of therapists who are now offering online therapy sessions, maybe even some via Skype.

The idea of online therapy is simple - instead of travelling to your therapist's office, your session is conducted using the therapist's preferred online method, which may include Skype calls or Skype video calls.

This is great news for anyone who lives in a remote area and has to take time out of their day to drive to their therapist's office. Instead they can set up sessions from the comfort of their own home. Or if you're a frequent traveller for work, it also means that you're able to continue with regular sessions while you're on the road, perhaps while even using Skype for mobile.

According to Psychology Today's article 'Online Counseling Service via Skype', Peter Strong, Ph.D. said, "It is surprising how effective Skype therapy sessions are. Although client and therapist may be thousands of miles apart, it feels like you are in the same room."

Other experts think it can be just as, if not more, effective than traditional therapy sessions. Dr. Kate Anthony of the Online Therapy Institute told The Daily Mail in the UK that the benefits of online therapy, "when done ethically and responsibly, outweigh the negatives".

She went on to say that online therapy can be less time-consuming and therefore cheaper too, as "'you might need 12 sessions of face-to-face to deal with an issue, but you can get to the same place in five email sessions'".

For some critics, the issue with therapy by telephone or email is that you and your therapist don't get the benefits of seeing each other's facial expressions and body language. But with Skype video calls, this isn't an issue - it's just like having a face-to-face session.

Not only that, using Skype or other online tools means that you can talk to your therapist in the comfort of your home - and for some people that means that they feel more relaxed and able to talk more freely about the issues they're facing.

If you're thinking about trying online therapy sessions, however, make sure you choose your therapist in the same way you would for a traditional session - check out their qualifications and, if possible, get personal recommendations from people whose opinions you trust.

Have you tried online therapy via Skype? What did you think of it?

Mark Wood - Nearing the South Pole

Whilst many of us have been taking some time with our families over the festive season, the intrepid explorer Mark Wood has been walking through the snow and ice across the South Pole alone.

Mark called me late last night to update me on his progress - rather excitingly he was just 17 miles from the South Pole and the halfway point of his expedition. You can listen to Mark's latest update and see exactly where he is on the ice right now on his blog.

Once he reaches the South Pole, Mark will be flown to Chile where he'll take a long shower before heading up to Ottawa and then Resolute Bay to tackle the North Pole. Mark will be available to speak to schools as part of Skype in the Classroom during this period - more details on this to come.

Update on Mark's progress (1/11/12): I'm pleased to say that an exhausted, but elated Mark has made it to the South Pole on day 50 of his expedition. Congratulations from everyone at Skype .

Skype at the United Nations Climate Change Conference

This month, The United Nations Climate Change Conference took place in Durban, South Africa and influential representatives of the world's governments, international organizations and civil society came together to discuss climate change.

Skype was excited to join it's new parent company Microsoft at the Climate Change conference to showcase some of the innovative ways technology is helping to address environmental changes. Microsoft, with a little help from Skype, created a 'virtual participation' community calling center where attending delegates conducted free Skype calls to landlines and mobiles around the world from the venue in South Africa and learned how easy it is to incorporate climate consciousness into their everyday activities. After the conference, we were pleased to hear that the Skype booths were a huge success, as delegates enthusiastically lined up to connect with friends, families and colleagues around the globe via Skype.

We're delighted that through Skype, delegates were able to stay connected with others abroad, especially as they traveled from all over the world. We hope to replicate the success at future conferences with Microsoft.

Give the Gift of Video Calling

Can't be with your loved ones this month? One of the best ways to spend time with close friends and family this holiday season from afar is by using Skype video calling. Rather than send your loved ones a card in the mail, give the gift of a video chat, so you can wish them "Happy Holidays" face-to-face.

To ensure that you and your loved ones can keep in touch via online video call, Skype has launched its Holiday Gadget Guide, showcasing the newest affordable Skype-friendly gadgets to help ensure a great conversation! With a free Skype account and any of these Skype-friendly gadgets, which include webcams, TVs and more, you will be well on your way to creating meaningful connections with others through Skype.

Even more, every time you use your new Skype-friendly gadget, you'll be creating another great Skype story about how people connect with their friends and family around the globe during this special time of year. We ask that you share your favorite Skype stories with us on Twitter using the hashtag #SkypeStories.

To see which Skype gadgets are best for grandma, grandpa, your parents, your children and others, visit http://gadgets.skype.com. Happy Holidays!

Mentoring through Skype

Recently, several news stories about mentors using Skype caught my attention. These examples demonstrate how educators are increasingly using Skype in new and exciting ways to help engage and educate their students.

Ever thought of mentoring though Skype? Gibson Southern High School in Fort Branch, Indiana has been using Skype video calling in their classrooms to mentor a local elementary school's second graders. The project, called "Skype is the Limit and Beyond," entails the high school and elementary students connecting once a week via Skype video call, allowing the elder students to educate the second graders about various tools that will help them in the future. The students also bring in guests. Some recent guests include: a high school athlete and a manager from McDonald's. The second graders love having the chance to have conversations with individuals of whom they don't usually have access.

In addition to students mentoring each other, I've seen some great examples of experts in various fields mentoring students on different education topics to help them gain deeper knowledge. For example, Mira Loma High School in Sacramento, California has used Skype to have students present their projects to experts for constructive criticism. After weeks of working on architecture projects, these students were able to share their great work through video call with professional architects for mentoring and feedback. Further demonstrating how Skype has enhanced school projects, Bella Vista High School in Fair Oaks, California also used Skype video calling to connect with the author of a book the students just finished reading. Through technology, students in several schools have been able to advance their education by getting first-hand information from mentors, experts and more. Interested in connecting your classroom with experts or other classrooms around the globe? Skype now offers a free online community called Skype in the classroom that helps teachers and classrooms find and connect with each other to engage classroom lessons. For more information, go to education.skype.com.

Have you seen an interesting use of Skype in the classroom that might help inspire other educators and students? Leave a comment and share with us.

Virtual Language Lessons

Did you know there are over 6,000 languages spoken across the globe? As an essential tool for communication for millions of people representing hundreds of countries, we know that our Skype users speak a number of different languages when connecting with one another via Skype. One of the amazing things about Skype is its ability to connect with people in different countries, without having to spend excessive amounts to virtually be with them.

With such a wide range of diversity within the Skype community, how do we see our users connecting with each other across borders via Skype? One way we've seen increase in popularity are language lessons through video and voice call. Whether it be a native speaker in Colombia teaching an American student how to speak Spanish while explaining the typical Spanish culture or a Hebrew teacher continuing to teach one of their students who relocated to another town, we've seen it all.

Take for example, 121 Spanish, a company that offers their teachers based in Latin America to students across the globe one-on-one Spanish lessons. Not only does 121 Spanish offer native speakers to remote students, but by using Skype, the instructors and students save money with free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls. Already know Spanish or just looking to learn a different language? French Today offers online French courses from a native Parisian via Skype video call! What to give Dutch a try? Say it in Dutch offers Skype lessons or Skype conversations in Dutch that are individually tailored to each student's needs.

As you can see the opportunities to learn languages from native speakers are endless, all without having to leave one's home! Next time you have a language lesson via Skype, leave a comment and share your experience.

Music Through Skype

This week, we saw a great video showcasing well-known Canadian singers Shania Twain and Michael Bublé recording their duet of the popular holiday song "White Christmas" together via Skype video call. With Shania in Switzerland, Michael in Napa Valley and award winning producer David Foster in Los Angeles, the trio decided to use video calling to work together on the hit song, and did so without a glitch.

After seeing such amazing virtual collaboration between the musicians, we realized how easy it is to use Skype to team up when not only recording songs, but also playing instruments with others in other states or countries. Did you know that music lessons via Skype are popping up all over the place? Take for example, Chris Bussey, an award winning drummer, composer and producer in Europe who now offers instrument lessons via Skype to interested students around the globe. Talk about getting grade-A education all through technology!

And it's not just well known musicians using Skype to either produce their own music or teach others, but also localized music centers trying to expand their reach to other students. U Rock, a rock school and music center in Pennsylvania, offers guitar lessons via Skype video call, providing remote students their professional instructors. Not only does this allow students to learn from the comfort of their homes, but also saves them time and money commuting to the school.

Musical collaboration via video call is a growing trend - staying on par with the quick advances of technology. Next time you see a great use of Skype by musicians, share it with us here.

Chef de Skype

If you're a fan of the popular day time cooking show "Every Day with Rachael Ray," then you likely have seen celebrity cooking host Rachael Ray bring cooking enthusiasts into her show via Skype video call. From one kitchen to another, video calling allows her guests from all over the world to join her in-studio in New York City. Seeing Rachael cook with fans around the globe got us thinking, how many people are using Skype video calling to cook together?

Sure enough, we've already seen and heard of several cooking schools who utilize video calling to reach remote students who are eager to learn the skills in the kitchen, but cannot physically make it. Fantastic Thai, a New York state cooking school, uses Skype to teach the Thai-food loving how to cook their favorite dishes from the convenience of their own home. To start the lesson off on the right foot, Fantastic Thai sends all the spices and sauces to the students prior to their first lesson. Easily enough, with video call, the students and the chef can see the way they prepare the food and can critique the techniques. Who knew learning how to cook Thai food was as easy as setting up one's laptop and webcam on their kitchen counter?

With the holiday season around the corner, we are eager to see if cooking via Skype becomes an even bigger trend! Even more, with Skype Group Video Calling, up to ten people can get on from their respective kitchens for one fun group cook-a-thon.

Share with us how you've used Skype video call to cook with a friend, family member, student or instructor.

How humanitarian organisations like UNHCR are using Skype

In under a year significant progress has been made with the rollout of Skype's bespoke low-bandwidth solution for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The introduction of Skype has had a positive impact on the lives of many employees who were previously disconnected from their families and friends whilst working in 'hardship' locations around the world.

A joint article has been published in Forced Migration Review - the world's most widely read magazine on refugee, internal displacement and statelessness issues - discussing the partnership between Skype, UNHCR and the Government of Luxembourg, and how the bespoke technology might be adapted for use by other humanitarian organisations.

Meanwhile, UNHCR employee Simplice Kpadnji share's his story of how Skype video calling has made a difference to his well-being and that of his family:

"My family lives in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. I see them every 8 weeks" says Simplice. "Between visits, I use Skype to communicate with them, especially with my children who are 3 and 4. I call them everyday at 8pm."

Simplice with one of his two children

Simplice has been working for UNHCR for more than 8 years. Over a year ago he moved to Goma, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to take up a new role as Public Information Officer. His main responsibility is to provide information on refugees to the media and public.

Since his arrival, Simplice has experienced considerable challenges common to many UNHCR employees in field locations. He has worked in difficult situations and spent long periods of time away from his family.

Being able to talk to his family every single day is very important to Simplice. "It is really fantastic. Sometimes we stay online for one or two hours. My children can talk to me and ask me questions like what I have done during the day. They enjoy it very much. They also talk about their activities and their friends. Through Skype, I see them playing and joking around. It is so important to us. I really feel like I am at home."

This is a feeling shared by Simplice's wife: "Since we do not have you [Simplice] here, Skype gives us the feeling that you are always with us, even if you are far away."

The effect this daily interaction has on Simplice is both wonderful and immediate: "After talking to them, I feel calm, happy and comfortable, knowing they are feeling well and being able to discuss with them."

Skype became even more important when Côte d'Ivoire fell back into civil war earlier this year. "It was so stressful knowing that I was here in Goma and that my family was far from me. I tried to make them come to Nairobi but the airport was closed and they could not travel. However, we managed to keep in touch through Skype. The situation in Abidjan was so difficult but, thanks to Skype, I could know that my family was fine and safe. At one point I was calling every hour."

Simplice remembers this occasion with gratitude and emotion. "It was really great to have Skype at this very sensitive time."

Peace One Day use Skype to help mobilise the youth of the world

The world has just celebrated Peace Day 2011; you'll be pleased to know that it was a huge success. And this year we heard some wonderful stories of how Skype has been used amongst students as part of their Peace Day celebrations.

Face-to-face across continents - a Skype in the classroom project:
The Uruguayan American School of Montevideo held a Skype video call with Mr. Dave Lefkowitz and his World Studies class in Oregon. The discussions focused on the meanings and definitions of what peace meant to them individually, how to promote peace in their lives, and shared their favourite peace quotes and agents of change in this area.

It was a great way to build a bridge of peaceful intent between two countries and the beginning of what will surely be a lasting and peaceful friendship! They even saw and heard from Pakistani students as they joined the conversation too. The excitement of parties from all over the world engaging in this day of peace was inspiring. See some of the project feedback here.

Peace One Day's Global Truce countdown:
For Peace Day 2012, Peace One Day is calling for and working towards a Global Truce - a day of ceasefire and non-violence observed by all sectors of society globally. POD hopes this will be the largest reduction in global violence in recorded history, both domestically and internationally.

Global Truce 2012 Introduction Film

Over the next 12 months, Jeremy Gilley, founder of Peace One Day is going to be speaking with young people around the world and asking them to join Peace One Day in calling for a Global Truce on Peace Day 2012. Will your students be next to speak with him?

Jeremy has already planned Skype video calls with students in Ghana, Mongolia, Monaco, Denmark, Norway and Egypt. That's in November alone; imagine how many students he will be reaching out to in the next 11 months!

Jeremy is hoping to reach schools in the 193 UN member states before Sept ember 21st 2012. To get your classroom involved contact Peace One Day Education through their Skype in the classroom profile or email skypetalks@peaceoneday.org to register your interest in a video call over Skype, and start planning your very own Global Truce 2012 campaign. Don't forget that you can check out the Peace One Day Global Education Resources to help get your students started; we hope the brand new Global Truce 2012 and Sport for Truce lesson plans will provide you with some inspiring ideas.

Will you be part of the biggest call for peace the world has ever seen? You can sign up to the Global Truce 2012 at www.peaceoneday.org, follow @PeaceOneDay on twitter, and 'like' the Peace One Day Facebook page, to show your support.

Students get back to Skype when back to school

Striking out on your own for a university experience can be trying at first, but with Skype, you can keep your parents on the line while chatting up new friends from lecture.

Setting off for university - especially when you'll be far from your home town, your parents and childhood friends - is one of life's great adventures. You'll meet new friends, learn new things and share ideas - but you'll still want to keep in touch with those back home.

For video calling mom and dad, sharing your experiences with friends back home or at universities of their own - or maybe even collaborating online with the cutie next to you in lecture - you can choose Skype for quick and easy communication.

Your parents will probably be worried sending off their baby for the first time into the great wide world. And while you might think it's a bit silly, all it takes is a quick - and free - video call to let them know you're doing well... and maybe to ask to borrow a little money if you've run out.

This could especially come in handy if you're out of your home country, as Skype offers some of the cheapest international calls around.

Both internet calls and instant messaging are a great way to keep in touch with friends still in your home town or those who've chosen a different university. You can even use Skype to track down your daring friend as he treks through India on a gap year adventure.

But of course, university is all about stretching your legs, striking out on your own - and maybe you might even learn a thing or two. You can use Skype to collaborate with your new classmates or just chat with interesting people you've met at there.

If you've used Skype to make some new friends or keep in touch with old ones, share your story in our comments section!

Pilates On-the-Go with Skype

Ever think of exercising via Skype? I certainly had not, but then I spoke with one Skype user, Certified Master Pilates Instructor and Celebrity trainer Jennifer Blaine, who really showed her innovative side when deciding to bring Skype into her business, Jennifer Pilates. Just like the vocal teacher we highlighted last month who provided singing lessons via Skype, Jennifer thought using technology such as Skype would be a great addition when re-locating her business to the Southwest U.S.

After relocating to Scottsdale, Arizona following a long stint on the East Coast, Jennifer didn't want to lose her Pilates clients - each of whom had become more like friends and family after eight years. In April 2011, as part of her transition out west and plans to expand her business, Jennifer decided that she would use Skype video calling to remotely teach clients from all over the world. Today, she works with clients as far away as Saudi Arabia and on the East Coast all the way up to Cape Cod! Video calling has allowed her to maintain friends and clients while still adding new Pilates clients locally in the Scottsdale area.

Jennifer commented, "Skype video calling has been a great way for clients to still utilize my training. No matter where they are worldwide, there is no excuse not to workout!" In fact, with some of her A-list clients always on-set or traveling with their NFL and NBA teams, the on-the-go nature of Skype has allowed Jennifer and her clients to exercise from different locations each and every day.

For more information on Jennifer Pilates, visit them on Facebook or Twitter.

The growth of Skype use in the classroom

As a follow up to Skype CEO Tony Bates' blog on "The Transformational Power of Skype in the Classroom" last month, we thought it would be enlightening to share a round-up of some recent news stories regarding schools across the globe and how they use video calling in their classrooms. When we see stories in the news about real use cases representing the power of video calling in educational environments, it really drives home how much Skype can help impact youths' lives by enriching classroom content.

To demonstrate how Skype in the Classroom can enhance classroom learning, take for example how one Illinois school, Willowbrook School, recently used Skype video calling to help third graders practice their Spanish-speaking skills with native Spanish-speaking students in Texas. In fact, not only did Willowbrook's third graders get to sharpen their language skills with fluent speakers, thanks to video they also got to see a snapshot of the Texan kindergarteners lives. We can only imagine how regular video call conversations between students from different walks of life help youth gain new perspectives!

Not only do we see students using Skype to connect with other students within the US, such as those at Willowbrook School, but we also see a growing trend of schools connecting with students in other countries. Just last week, a group of sixth graders in North Carolina connected via video call with students in Guatemala, enabling a virtual pen-pal experience. Being able to learn about each other's daily lives, typical meals, hobbies and interests first-hand allowed for a culturally and educationally enriching experience. In addition to helping students in both the US and Guatemala understand the differences and similarities in their lives, I'm sure video call kept the students engaged and excited!

As the school year continues on, we love seeing the various ways teachers are taking advantage of video calling in the classroom. How is your school using Skype to enrich the classroom? Leave a comment and tell us.

Vocal Training via Skype

One of the many perks of Skype is how it can bring people together, face-to-face, across thousands of miles. So often, we hear of families and friends utilizing Skype to keep their relationships strong. However, more and more, we are also hearing of how businesses and teachers are using Skype to educate people in remote areas, accommodating busy schedules and on-the-go consumers.

One amazing example of an instructor using Skype to teach others is that of Richard Fink IV. Richard is a vocal coach, songwriter and producer that has taught hundreds of students, ranging from multi-platinum selling rock performers to aspiring young pop stars.

To reach students outside of his Bergen, New York studio, Fink decided to use Skype video calling to communicate and instruct people around the world. So far, he has already trained students in 35 countries spanning 6 continents via Skype, demonstrating its true global reach! Using Skype on mobile devices, Fink's students have even called him on-the-go for last minute advice while waiting to audition for singing competition shows such as "American Idol" and "The Voice."

One of Richard's students, Jerry Martin, was trained via Skype while stationed with the U.S. Army in Okinawa, Japan. He commented how they were able to go over everything from proper breathing to learning how to growl correctly in their lessons over Skype video calls!

You can learn more about Richard's vocal lessons here.

Royals Round-Up

The past few weeks, we've heard a lot of chatter surrounding royal families using Skype and we love it!

A couple weeks ago, Skype created a survey to see which member of the royal family Britons would most like to chat with. The results were intriguing, with the most respondents saying they'd love to chat with the always remembered Princess Diana. Runners up included Prince William, the Queen and Henry VIII. To add onto the excitement of using Skype with royals, just this week we saw the Prince of Wales make his first ever Skype video call. In promoting a charity's initiative to advocate elderly education and use of computers, Prince Charles showed his tech savvy side while conducting a video call with pensioner David Howe. And Prince Charles wasn't the only one showing his Skype support, as Queen Elizabeth's eldest granddaughter Zara Phillips discussed her Skype love.

If you were to Skype video chat with a royal, who would you choose? Leave a comment and let us know.

The Modern Day Book Club with Meg Wolitzer

Earlier this summer, we told you about the exciting partnership with MORE Magazine in which nine lucky book clubs could submit for the chance to be part of a virtual book club with author Meg Wolitzer. On August 7th, the nine book clubs, author Meg Wolitzer and MORE Magazine's Editor-in-Chief Lesley Jane Seymour, all got together via Skype Group Video Call for one exciting event. Check out the virtual book club discussion about Wolitzer's latest book "The Uncoupling" in the video here.

Digital Artist Uses Skype for Transatlantic Portrait Painting Sessions

For San Francisco-based digital artist David Newman, a specialist in painting life portraits with the iPad, Skype has enabled him to expand his portrait painting studio to anywhere in the world that has an internet connection.

Photo by Peter Blacksberg. Portrait and collage by David Newman.

David is the founder of iPadportraits.com, where he posts his digital portraits painted with the iPad. He has painted people from Steve Wozniak to the Dalai Lama and often visits Silicon Valley HQ’s like those of Google, PayPal, Twitter and Nasa Ames Research Labs in search of high-tech innovators whom he has been documenting since 2006 as part of an ongoing fine arts project.

David started drawing people at a young age and studied painting and drawing at UC Davis and UC Berkeley. Since 1982 he has been using computer graphics programs to draw, and today he uses Autodesk’s Sketchbook Pro application for the iPad.

His first ever transatlantic iPad portrait was done between his home in San Francisco and his friend Karin in Baden Württemburg, Germany. Using Skype he was able to paint Karin at work in her office thousands of miles away, in real time.

Unlike a portrait service that is normally art directed by a client, David feels his portraits aren’t like photographs; they convey something deeper. Because they are painted over time, with changing lighting and moods, they show things that a camera can’t capture with the click of a button.

“Skype also extends my artistic reach not just by saving travel time and expense, but in terms of the time it takes to book busy people for a portrait sitting. This way, I can paint a portrait using the sitter's webcam as he or she works. No time is taken away from the sitter’s busy day,” says David.

Although he’s been using digital art creation tools since 1982, Skype lets him expand his reach as an artist using digital vision for the first time. Using Skype, he can now paint anyone, anywhere in the world in their own environment.

He recently had an exhibition of his iPad Portraits of Innovators at iOSDevCamp 2011 at PayPal headquarters in San Jose, CA. This October, he has been invited to paint online portraits from San Francisco to the UK at the Mole Valley Arts Alive festival near London.

Your #ILOVESKYPE Stories

We've seen a lot of response with the #ILOVESKYPE moments you are sharing for Skype's 8th Birthday. Here are our eight favorites.

1) @GeneralMattina: @Skype 92 yr old Grandmama in PA Skyping my sister in LA. #ILOVESKYPE http://twitpic.com/6d985o

2) @Rorymi6: I've used Skype for over 4 years now and have probably spent many hundreds of hours in calls, and it hasn't failed me. #Iloveskype

3) @jenniferwoofter: Back in 2004, I got to talk to my mom EVERY DAY while I was studying #sustainability abroad in #Sweden. #ILOVESKYPE

4) @MarcelinaJ: Fave Skype moment: introducing my second child to her great-grandmother in Poland. #ILOVESKYPE

5) @petergoranov: #ILOVESKYPE my parents live 3,000 miles away and Skype allows me affordable communication on a regular basis. happy birthday folks

6) @NnamdiJr: After teaching mom how to turn on Skype web cam, I turn mine on. She screams "I CAN SEE U!" & starts crying.. #ILoveSkype but #ILuvMyMomMore

7) @allifilan: 2 words: transcontinental relationship . #ILOVESKYPE

8) @sauravarora: Talking to loved once, skype made it too easy, let's Skype it anytime - anywhere, love for skype #ILOVESKYPE

We love these examples so much that we've decided to send out a free FREETALK Buddy Cam and a Skype Premium voucher to these eight Skype fans.

Thanks for the birthday wishes and making it a celebratory and sharing your #ILOVESKYPE moments. Hearing your stories made us feel really .

Skype video helps news gathering

The world of news reporting has evolved tremendously over the past few years! As technological advances take place, people are able to share their stories with media in new and exciting ways. Thankfully, Skype has been there along the way helping news organizations adapt and accelerate with the times.

Today's news is primarily a digital medium, as is most content. News is immediate and social, requiring quick and efficient tactics to provide news in real-time. Today, Skype video calling is a constant presence in the most efficient newsrooms across the world, speeding up the entire process of content delivery from reporting and editorial to distribution.

Digital gatherings and traditional networks are creating in-house Skype studios (just like Oprah!) as a means of internal and external communication, and as a means of broadcasting. Skype offers an array of communication solutions for reporters in the field. Now multiple video interviews, with both one-on-one and Group Video Calling, can take place quickly across the globe, all from a single location where they can also be edited and distributed almost instantaneously!

No doubt, we live in exciting times; and Skype has become a reliable, quick and simple solution because of its universality yet very local nature and the size of its user base. Even more, it is accessible, free and so easy to use. If someone is not on Skype, it's only a matter of minutes to get up and running (assuming broadband and webcam are available).

Broadcasters love Skype not just because of our technology, but because of the people it gives them access to. From my point of view, there sure are a lot of opportunities to apply Skype. My team and I are glad that TV networks are finding countless ways to of use Skype in newsrooms and we enjoy playing an important role in their television programs!

A Bittersweet Wedding

Quite often, I turn on the TV, flip through a magazine or local newspaper, and see stories about Skype. Whether it's an army husband watching his baby's birth from Iraq, a classroom having a virtual field trip, or a grandmother seeing her grandchild take their first steps, the stories about people using Skype are endless. With such a large community of users, it's amazing to see the ways our millions of users are utilizing Skype in their personal (or business) lives.

Today, I read an unforgettable story demonstrating just how valuable Skype is for relationships. With a terminally-ill mother and a new engagement to her beau, Ashley Broering was not exactly living a bridal dream. Dealing with her mother's weakening health due to cancer, it's not difficult to imagine the emotional distress for Ashley, her mother, and their close family and friends.

When Ashley found out her mother only had a few days to live, Ashley and her fiancée decided the wedding needed to happen within days with Ashley's mom in attendance - through video call. With a laptop and Skype video calling, Ashley's mom was able to witness her daughter walking down the aisle and having the first dance with her husband. What previously would not have been possible, was made possible simply by connecting a hospital room to a wedding ceremony and reception. Sadly, Ashley's mom passed away a couple of weeks after the wedding, but not without taking part in her daughter's special day.

Heartwarming stories like that of Ashley and her mother display the value of video calling in some of the most trying moments in people's lives. We are glad that in the midst of a very difficult time, Skype could be used to connect mother and daughter on this special day.

Skype for iPad makes its TV debut

Last week on the popular TV Show in the United States "Hot in Cleveland" we saw the hilarious cast take full advantage of Skype for iPad while gabbing in their living room. While three of the characters caught up on life over a glass of wine, they got a video call from their friend who was away in Europe using Skype on their iPad, which was then conveniently propped up on their coffee table for all to see! Seeing Skype for iPad on television got us thinking, what are some other fun ways to use Skype on the iPad?

With the large iPad screen that can be used in either landscape or portrait view, the iPad is ideal for those who are on-the-go, whether in their personal lives or business lives, and want to see their long-distance friends in a bigger way. Just last week, after Skype for iPad launched, I thought it would be a lot of fun to Skype video call into my friend's birthday party. Because I was away on vacation, I couldn't make it to her birthday bash, but didn't want to miss out on all the fun. Easily enough, Skype for iPad allowed me to see my friends on the big screen and take part in all the festivities.

For families who are away from home on vacation and decided not to pack their bulky laptop, why not use the dual cameras and large screen to talk to grandma and grandpa while lounging on the hotel couch? Or, with the first day of college approaching for many students around the world, why not meet your roommate through Skype, from the convenience of your home, to get a head-start on being friends? The convenience of the iPad allows users, no matter what status they are in life, to have the best of both worlds with the high quality and large picture, all in the thin and easy to pack iPad.

What are some fun or interesting ways you use Skype on your iPad? Leave a comment and let us know.

Vacation Bound

Everyone needs a vacation, and this week, I'm packing my bags and leaving the city for a week to spend some time with my family. Even though I'll be out of the office and away from my computer, I plan to take Skype with me so I can stay connected with my friends and family members who will not be able to be there with me.

First stop on my vacation is my cousin's wedding, which is bound to be a good time. Unfortunately, not all my family members can make it to the wedding. However, with Skype video calling on my iPhone, I'll be able to show my aunt in California what the wedding festivities are like in real-time. Since I have my phone with me no matter where I am, she will be able to see everything from the bridal party preparing to my cousin walking down the aisle. And, if I find out that there are other family members who cannot make it, I can easily bring along my MacBook and use Skype Group Video Calling to include up to ten people on one call. I'm sure my cousin will be excited to find out how many virtual guests are in attendance!

After the wedding festivities, I plan to spend plenty of time relaxing on the beach with my family and friends. Of course, I'll make sure my iPhone is with me at all times, so I can video and voice call, as well as IM, my friends while I'm away from home.

Are you going on any summer vacations? If so, how do you plan to bring Skype along for the ride? Leave a comment and let us know.

Virtual Shopping Advice On-The-Go from Lucky's Fashion Editor

Shopping alone may be effective for some, but when Lucky Magazine's intern Sarah went shopping at an uptown boutique in NYC, she ran into a shopping dilemma without anyone to consult.

Although many people might call their best friend to ask for shopping advice, voice calling cannot always provide the full picture like video calling. With this in mind, Sarah utilized Skype video calling on her iPhone to ask Lucky Fashion Editor Jen Ford for her best styling tips. Utilizing free face-to-face video calling on her Skype for iPhone app, Sarah was able to pick out the best top, shorts, shoes and accessories to have a polished appearance at her summer barbeque - all by calling from the boutique right to the editor's desk!

Check out the Skype video call below and learn some fashion tips from a top shopping magazine editor.

How have you used Skype video calling on your iPhone or Android smartphone while on-the-go? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Spanish Lessons: Skype was made for this

Skype has turned classrooms into a global learning environment as cultures are colliding like never before and distance is simply no longer an obstacle. As a result, schools are expanding their classrooms to a worldwide audience, with both students and teachers saving time and money on travel costs.

Individuals are using Skype to learn foreign languages one on one, or "1-2-1" as Craig Jull, founder of 121Spanish, likes to say. 121Spanish, is an online Spanish school that uses Skype to provide Spanish lessons to students around the globe. The company was born when Craig was learning the language at a school in Guatemala, 4 years ago. At the time he asked himself "Why can't I do this on-line?". 121Spanish now has over a 1,000 students in 35 countries and 15 teachers located in seven different countries.

Rob Plankenhorn, a retired entrepreneur from Indianapolis, USA, has taken a class with nearly almost all of the teacher's. Before discovering 121Spanish, Rob had tried private lessons and other computer software options to learn Spanish, but in the end he just didn't get the results he was hoping for. He began taking classes with 121Spanish via Skype video just over a year and a half ago and is very happy with the virtual approach.

"This [language lessons] seems to be the kind of thing that Skype was made for," said Rob. "It's so perfect. You can see and talk to your teacher; you can use the chat [IM] function, and if you need to look for books or documents you've created, it's right there. It's just so easy," he said.

Another student, Peter McManus, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is also a big fan. "You get one to one attention and by using Skype, you might as well be in the same room as your teacher," he said.

Both Rob and Peter agree that the combination of Skype video and Spanish teachers from a variety of countries and backgrounds has made learning a foreign language easier and much more fun. Skype also provides opportunities for cultural awareness and interaction, which are critical for language learning and hard to imitate in a traditional classroom. One gets to know and makes new friends in foreign countries, which can (and already has for some 121Spanish students) provided first-hand knowledge of a travel destination.

Skype-based teaching has proven to be a success for Craig and his students, and even a preferred choice for many learning and teaching a foreign language. "It simply works well for everyone involved, not to mention the environment," says Craig. "When you save on fuel and transportation costs by taking classes at home, it truly is an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and convenient way to learn."

Special thanks to Craig Jull for contributing to this blog post.

Inspiring a Class into the 'Zone'

Athletes do it. Musicians do it. Good Skype teachers do it.

I'm referring to getting students ready and eager to absorb the day's lesson. It's what the late author/sportsman George Plimpton called the 'Zone'; that moment of supreme concentration when the mind is clear, focused and prepared to function at a maximum level of excellence.

Watch Kobe Bryant shoot a three point "whistle blower" or Maria Sharapova hit a tennis serve and you'll see athletes playing in the Zone.

Good teachers constantly make an effort to get their classes into the Zone. They may begin class with a few funny remarks. Some teachers will produce a pleasant surprise like a new visitor. Others might perform a dramatic antic like Robin Williams jumping up on his desk in the film, Dead Poet's Society. These teachers understand the importance of having students who are not bored or resistant but anxious to learn.

Teachers using Skype are fortunate because they have several unique options for getting a class into the Zone. At TeachThe World Online for example, we like to get a discussion going about our students' dreams for the future by playing Aladdin's Magic Carpet on YouTube. There's not a classroom in the world that won't love watching this short musical which can then be followed by a discussion on the students' own hopes and plans for the future. You can play this on your own screen and click on Share Screen so your students can watch it with you, or you can share the link via Skype's instant messaging.

My own favorite way of getting students into the Zone is through the use of puppets. I used to entertain my own children with puppet shows so using it for a classroom is a natural extension of this wonderful teaching tool. One day, we also started a class in Cambodia by introducing them to our class in Nepal using Group Video. The students from both countries were thrilled with this surprise and their enthusiasm easily prevailed throughout the rest of that day's class.

One of our teachers can play a guitar, so she opens her classes with a sing-a-long tied into the day's lesson plans. She IM's the lyrics in a chat with the students before starting the class and then encourages students to join her in singing. The students quickly learn the song and she then has them in the palms of her hands throughout the ensuing hour-long lesson.

A TWOL teacher gets his Haitian students into the Zone.

There are many other ways Skype makes it easy to get students ready for a great class. The only limitation is the teacher's creativity and that, we hope, is without boundaries for inspiring a class into the all-important learning Zone.

UNHCR dad sees his twin daughters and wife on Skype video everyday

Our partnership with UNHCR announced in November 2010 is having a positive effect on the relationships and well-being of many UNHCR employees. Here's one story.

"As far as I am concerned, Skype is the main mode of communication to keep in touch with my family. Everyday I call them using Skype" says Haridass Sriram.

Sriram joined UNHCR in 2003, working as a national staff member for almost 6 years in his home country, Sri Lanka. He then spent a further two years in Afghanistan before starting his current post as field protection officer in Aweil, South Sudan, last April. "Thanks to Skype, I can see my two twins who are now 4 and a half months old and talk to my wife everyday." Sriram's wife, Dhuwarakha, who used to work for UNHCR in Afghanistan, is now back home in Sri Lanka with their daughters.

Sriram's twin girls in Sri Lanka get to check-in with their daddy in Sudan over Skype video everyday.

Aweil, Sriram's new duty station, is a so-called hardship location, which means that staff members who volunteer to work there have to take the difficult decision to live apart from their families. "When I arrived in Aweil we had no accommodation," recalls Sriram. Now we use containers both as an office and a place to live. Medical facilities are very limited, as well as the supplies available from the market."

Sriram at work with refugees in Sudan.

However, the biggest challenge in living in Aweil is the limited access to means of communication. "There is very limited mobile coverage and phone calls are very expensive," acknowledges Sriram. Since the installation of Skype, however, this difficulty has been largely removed. "Skype is free of charge and the line is much clearer. It allows me to communicate with my wife. She brings the babies in front of the camera more or less every single day. It also allows them to see how I am doing."

Sriram sums up the situation in a laugh: "If not for Skype, my wife would have left me by now!" She herself confirms that "now that my husband has moved to Sudan, means of communication are less available and calls are so expensive, Skype is the best way of communicating for us. We chat together and I show him the babies through the webcam, so he does not miss out on them growing up. It is really important for our relationship."

Military Members Using Skype To Stay Connected

This Saturday, May 21, marks the United States Armed Forces Day. This holiday was established to recognize and thank our country's military members for their hard work and patriotic service overseas. Being thousands of miles away from home, we can only imagine how difficult it can be for military members around the world to keep in touch with their family and friends back home. Through countless user stories, we're so happy to know that military members have been able to utilize Skype voice and video calling over the years to communicate face-to-face with their loved ones. And, in honor of this upcoming holiday, we wanted to highlight some recent heartwarming stories that have really shown us how Skype can help bridge the distance between people.

With dad stationed in Iraq for his fourth Middle Eastern deployment, one family in New York has had to rely on technology to stay in touch with dad. With Skype, Tim Maguire has been able to keep up with his daughter's life and chat with her about school, sports, and life on a weekly basis. Maguire has even video called into his daughter's sixth-grade classroom, demonstrating how he can stay involved in her life, despite the difficult circumstances. Another amazing story we read about surrounds how one deployed father was recently able to coach his wife through the delivery of their baby girl. Through video call, Joseph Palmero was able to be there for an extremely memorable moment in their family's life.

Seeing how Skype helps military personnel overseas stay in touch with the closest people in their life makes us extremely proud. We hope we continue to see and hear about these amazing stories and, on May 21, we hope everyone can extend a big thank you to their country's armed forces serving around the world.

Brain Based Learning over Skype works for Nepal Students

Time and again, we've discovered at Teach The World Online that students only improve when teaching methods are used which correspond with studies in neuroscience on how the brain learns.

Two years ago, Lhamo Tsering a very smart 14 year-old girl from the Himalayan region of Nepal, was not showing much improvement in her spoken or written English during Teach The World Online Skype classes. Despite our best efforts to teach the rules of grammar from a well known ESL lesson plan, she and several other students often walked out of the class from sheer boredom. We could do nothing about this from the other side of the world.

Lhamo Tsering and fellow students learning English via Skype video.

Then, we discovered a study suggesting that second languages are learned in a different area of the brain than first languages. A Cornell University research team showed that native and second languages are spatially separated in Broca's area, a region in the pre frontal area of the brain which controls the motor part of language-movement of the mouth, the palate and the tongue. However, two languages don't reveal much separation in the activation of Wernicke's area where comprehension takes place.

This means that people learning a second language have a problem pronouncing and forming the words with the mouth and tongue rather than with comprehension. Consequently, students of second languages should concentrate on formulating words through lots of speaking and interactive dialogue rather than the memorization or study of grammar.

With this in mind, we began writing a short novel about a Nepali brother and sister who achieve their dream of acquiring an elephant. The students read and discussed the book each day via Skype video with their U.S .based teacher. As we read the book, Lhamo Tsering and her friends became intrigued. They were soon discussing the day's reading in English. Within weeks they were rapidly increasing their ability to speak and read. They also drew illustrations for each chapter and we had the book printed. It's called 'An Elephant In the Himalays' which they now sell in their village to passing trekkers in order to help pay for their future education.

Next year, Lhamo Tsering, who is now fluent in English, will attend a School of Tibetan Medicine in India where she passed the entrance exams with ease. By using Skype and the principles of imagery and interactivity endemic to brain based learning, we helped this young girl and others in her class succeed.

We encourage teachers using the Internet around the world to embrace similar methodologies geared to the brain's learning capacity, so that they too, can maximize the full potential of Skype technology and consequently achieve maximum educational success for their students.

Remarkable user stories: "This one time on Skype..."

Every day, we see and hear amazing stories from our community about how people are using Skype. Whether it be a virtual wedding, date, classroom fieldtrip, or family reunion, people have shown us time after time what an important role Skype video calling plays in their lives.

Just last week, we read an uplifting story that really drove home the way Skype brings people together across continents. With a baby on the way, while serving in Iraq, Mark Wagner from Massachusetts was not able to be there in-person for that special moment when his wife, Mary, gave birth. But thanks to an understanding hospital staff and a tech-savvy mother-in-law, he was able to witness his child's birth in real time.

With Mark calling from his computer in Iraq and Mary's mother capturing the birth using her Skype video calling-enabled iPhone, Mark was able to witness the birth of his baby boy via Skype video call. The Wagner family demonstrated how one's iPhone, another's computer, and Skype video calling bridged the gap between an Air Force Base and hospital thousands of miles apart, for one of the most memorable times in a family's life.

We know that there are thousands of user stories that are just as amazing and innovative as the Wagner's. Do you have one to share? Leave a comment and let us know.

Virtual Passover and Easter Meals

Are you celebrating Passover or Easter next week? With loved ones spread around the world, many families are now using Skype video calling to celebrate these special times together, despite the distance.

With the family gathered around the table for the Passover Seder or Easter dinner, it's easy to grab the family laptop and include long-distance relatives in the celebration via Skype video call. Or, with Skype Group Video Calling on your Mac or PC, families can invite additional relatives to the ritual feast to enjoy the conversation and quality family time. Want to lounge on the living room couch post-meal? Gather everyone around your Skype-enabled HDTV and see your distant family member face-to-face and continue the festivities.

This past holiday season, we saw several families utilizing Skype to see relatives from afar. Take for example a San Diego family of four that connected with grandma and grandpa in Washington, DC, as they said the blessings, lit their respective menorahs, and watched the children open gifts via Skype video call. You can watch their virtual celebration:

Next week, we hope technology like Skype can help connect long-distance families, so the whole bunch can celebrate together.

How do you plan to spend your Easter and Passover? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Dreaming of the 21st Century Skype Classroom

Sometimes, as I strain my eyes to see or hear young students from around the world on my laptop, I dream of the ideal Skype classroom of the future.

Haiti students learn English over Skype video with volunteer students thanks to Teach the World Online

In this classroom, a teacher would no longer stand before rows of students as they did in the one room schoolhouses of the 19th century. Nor would masses of students swarm back and forth throughout the day in crowded, factory style buildings where little is learned and even less is remembered.

My dream-world classroom would be more like a TV production studio, with perfect lighting, no external sounds and circular or at least U shaped seating. The teacher would wander among the students always ready to start a power-point program, a video or a slide show synced to the day's lesson plan from one of several monitors throughout the room. A visiting teacher, a puppeteer, a magician or interesting person would appear for a short message via Skype video to involve the students in verbal answers or perhaps even a texted response over group IM.

There would be no need to discipline bored students because there would be too much going on, with all five senses being bombarded with sights, touches, sounds, and even smells, all coordinated with the theme of the day's lesson. Learning would be....yes, entertainment. Synaptic responses in the pre-frontal lobe of each student's brain would be firing at top speed because the neural path ways would be open and receptive to the new information being presented in this ideal classroom. Their participation in all of these experiences would be constant. Interactivity would be the classroom mantra, whether it be encouraged face to face, online or both. Blended learning would be seamless, constant and effective.

The success of my ideal classroom would not be judged by computerized testing and terrified teachers struggling to prep their students for upcoming exams. The students in this classroom would be judged by their ability to think and reason within the confines of
a well-crafted essay, verbal response or even debate among fellow students. They would know the art of reading a book and assessing its' contents. They would know how to communicate through film, music and theater as well as words. A myriad of skills and knowledge would be imbued in their minds because they had learned to love the experience of learning in a classroom devoted to providing them with the skills needed for survival and success in a modern world.

Challenges of Teaching via Skype in Haiti

"Jean Pierre, can you please read your homework on the days of the week?" Cara Sampson calls into a laptop webcam from her home in Fishers, Indiana. The young Haitian boy in Port Au Prince looks down at the floor as his teacher's face glows from the laptop screen in a hot semi-dark schoolroom, located in the middle of a tent city where 55,000 refugees have now been living for more than a year.

Cara asks again, "Jean Pierre, can you please read your homework?" The boy stares at the pretty white face on the monitor, hesitates and then looks down again in silence. "All right, perhaps later," Cara says kindly. 'How about Kimberly, are you there?" Kimberly can you come up and read your dictation?" Slowly, the 15-year-old girl with black hair woven into neat braids, steps forward, looks in silence for a moment, and then begins a halting sentence. "On Monday, I go to the market. On Tuesday I cook rice."

Children in Haiti being taught English over Skype video

This is the scene that recently repeated itself time and again during the first week of a new class conducted by Teach The World Online in the former Petoinville Golf Club in Haiti's Capital. We were trying to teach young boys and girls via Skype video who have been so destabilized by events of the past year that they could scarcely talk. Our job was to gain their trust and offer them an education in a world which has brought them nothing but misery and pain for the past year. I was spending the month in Haiti specifically to make sure Teach The World Online succeeded while my co-founder, Jurate Kazickas "skyped" me each morning to discuss the project.

After several delays, we finally began teaching at the Petoinville refugee camp where thousands of children sit idly day after day with nothing to do. During the first few classes I tried to balance a terrible fear that this wasn't going to work with a desperate hope that we could help these traumatised children. Occasionally, I jumped up to give advice through our webcam microphone to Cara and our classroom assistant Haitian teacher, Dimitri Napoleon, on how to work the multi-media and interactive devices we had created for teaching on the internet.

"Ask them to come forward two at a time and introduce themselves," I called to Cara in Indiana and Dimitri, who sat at the front of the room working the laptop and translating instructions into Creole when necessary. Speaking slowly and with clarity, Cara soon had the children introducing themselves to each other. Quickly, they began to forget their fears, their self-consciousness. A few began to laugh.

Then Cara called for Dimitri to play a YouTube video associated with the day's lesson about food and going to the market. It was a silly video called "Yummy In The Tummy," but the students began laughing and singing, even memorizing the words, "I like apples" or "I like carrots". Neural pathways were opening up. Learning was underway. These Haitian refugee children had finally began the long journey to receive a quality education via a new and most exciting educational delivery system.

To find our more visit Teach the World Online.

HARLANconnect revolutionizes the way attorneys and students interact

• Classes sign up to learn from a virtual mentor about the U.S Constitution and the Supreme Court
• Attorneys volunteer to mentor classes
• HARLANconnect facilitates Skype video calls and other virtual exchanges between classrooms and attorney mentors

What is HARLANconnect?

HARLANconnect is the Harlan Institute's innovative platform to help connect attorneys, law professors, and law students with high school classes. Through the use of Skype video calls, classrooms can connect with attorneys anywhere in the world, and learn more about the Constitution and the Supreme Court.

How does HARLANconnect work?

HARLANconnect provides a simple and easy way for classes to be mentored and learn from attorneys, law professors, and law students. First, interested classes request a mentor. Second, the Harlan Institute contacts one of the attorneys in their vast network, and attempts to locate a suitable mentor for the classroom. This mentor will be an attorney, law professor, or law student with a passion for the Constitution, and an interest in sharing his or her knowledge with tomorrow's leaders and decision-makers. Third, after a mentor is paired with a class, the Harlan Institute will schedule an initial Skype video call. During this 45-minute call, the mentor will introduce the students to one of the cases pending before the Supreme Court this term, and highlight the constitutional issues in the case. Following the initial Skype call, if both the class and the mentor concur, the Harlan Institute will schedule additional Skype calls and other forms of electronic exchange.

Josh Blackman, President and Co-Founder of Harlan Institute teaching over Skype video.

How do I get involved?

The goal of HARLANconnect is to make the mentoring process as easy and effective as possible. While the time commitment for all parties is rather small, they find that the virtual visits to classrooms are the next-best-thing to in-person visits. If you are an attorney, law student, or law professor, and are interested in mentoring a class, please fill out this form.

Win an iPod Touch

Sign up your class for two virtual mentoring sessions through HARLANconnect, and enter your class into a drawing for an iPod Touch. The winner will be announced following the end of the October 2010 Supreme Court Term (usually the last week in June). If you are interested in signing your class up for a mentor, please select a lesson, and sign up for a time slot on their calendar.

Inviting the world into our classroom

Some of the most fascinating academics, artists and writers in the country have taken the time to talk with my middle school students. Skype made these conversations possible.

Students talk to Chef, Ann Cooper.

We have had Skype video calls with Lawrence Lessig, Harvard Law professor and co-founder of Creative Commons, about copyright laws and remix culture. We've had multiple video conversations with Marilyn Horowitz, an NYU film professor who has worked with Hollywood scriptwriters. To get tips for a recent animation project, we interviewed Mike Rauch, from the acclaimed Rauch Bros., the duo behind the amazing StoryCorps animation series.

So when my students and I recently started a documentary project, I knew Skype would play a crucial role. I have 18 groups, in three classes, each creating documentaries on different topics. We had to find experts for each group to interview. We had face-to-face conversations over Skype video with some 15 experts for the project.

For our exposé on school lunches, students interviewed Chef Ann Cooper, known as the "Renegade Lunch Lady." Another group, working on a documentary about how the lack of sleep negatively affects school performance, spoke with Cornell psychology professor and international sleep expert Dr. James Maas. Dr. Maas also speaks with professional sports teams about the importance of getting enough sleep. His college classes are so popular that he holds the world's record for the number of students he has taught.

A third group of students, who are working on a documentary about the dangers of concussion from youth football, spoke with three doctors from the Defense Centers of Excellence, a leading traumatic brain injury treatment and research center. One of the doctors, James Bender, was the psychologist for a brigade of 4,000 soldiers in Iraq. He had just returned.

I could go on and on because we had so many wonderful conversations. Skype is a great resource that gives students opportunities to talk with people from all walks of life about real issues that matter. The best part: it's free.

How is Skype making your life easier?

Life is full of little challenges. Those everyday problems that you just can't deal with on your own. Sometimes you need a bit of help, and sometimes you just need to see for yourself.

Here at Skype we've been thinking about how video calling with Skype can make your life easier, and here are a few suggestions:

• Got a job interview and need to know how to tie a tie?
• Want to impress a special someone with your skills in the kitchen?
• Got a big night out and can't decide what to wear?

We've got more than 100 million people using Skype, so make sure that the people you turn to for help are amongst them. To enjoy video calls with your friends and family, give them this link.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach guests get a Skype treat

When we heard that the newly renovated Fontainebleau Miami Beach, a revered landmark for more than half a century, wanted to set up computers in their lobby and poolside to enable Skype calls for their guests, we thought "Wow! What a great idea."

Check out this video which showcases the wonderful way that Fontainebleau is connecting their vacationing guests with family and friends at home.

Thank you Fontainebleau!

How Skype Changed My Life (Part Three)

Here's yet anothing shortlisted film, this time from the pro category of the 'Digital Revolutions' short film competition. (For more details on the competition, please see a previous blog post)

This film was made by Simon Wan, and below he describes the meaning behind his film.
We hope you like this one too!

I had known 'James' (the boy from my film) and his family for a while so I had been aware of the fact that his older brother 'Robert' had recently left for university. I popped round to see the family and after a few minutes talking with him it was obvious that he was missing his brother terribly.

Having spoken to James' mother about how he had felt, I brought up the subject of a Skype video call, and had he tried it. The answer was no, and although they had heard of it, they weren't sure how to use it, thinking it would be complicated and expensive. So, my plan was to spend a few hours with James and ask him questions about what it's like to have a brother and how he feels now he has gone and then surprise him with a Skype video call.

What amazes me is that to James, the Skype call was simple, something obvious. When he describes what he thinks will happen, he almost get's it right. He says, 'The pictures go from me, to my computer then to Robert'. Simple yes, but hugely intricate and complicated as well. This though, is something that James won't have to think about. What he saw was his brother, what he heard was his brother and to him that meant the world. With the click of a button, which made him laugh, he was right there next to him again.

Now James and Robert Skype each other all of the time. With a click of a button and a wave at a camera they are in the same room. Julia, (James' Mum) is also now making video calls to Robert, making sure that he's washing his clothes and not skipping lectures. To some this may seem mundane, but being able to spend a few minutes every now and again speaking face to face with someone has, in this case made a huge difference. It's great to make a call, send a text, but sometimes it's even better when you can see the person you love or the brother you miss.

How Skype Changed My Life (Part Two)

Here's another shortlisted film from the amatuer category of the 'Digital Revolutions' short film competition. (For more details on the competition, please see a previous blog: http://blogs.skype.com/play/2010/10/enter-the-digital-revolutions.html)

Please see the film below directed and edited by Mirko Pincelli. As well as the blog post written by Enrico Tessarin and Louise Dylan. We hope you enjoy it.

I grew up in a small village in Italy, so small in fact that I've renamed it 'village near Torino' because otherwise no one has a clue where I'm from. My mum and dad come from the old generation that are very comfortable utilising their agricultural skills but they still don't know how to use a remote control. One thing that I had never managed to do was to convince my now ageing parents to buy a computer and be visible to me in London via Skype. They were constantly telling me about their illnesses on the phone but I couldn't see them - and it was fairly frustrating at times. How was I ever going to convince my stubborn parents to get a computer? All there was left to do was show to them.

When my daughter was born two years ago I went to the hospital with my laptop and an Internet dongle. My daughter was three hours old when I connected to the Internet from the hospital and my best friend went to pick up my mum from her house and took her to his internet-ready apartment. She saw her one and only, just born granddaughter for the very first time via Skype. I don't think either myself or my mum will ever forget that moment and that picture which showed us more than words could ever describe.

The very next day my mum called me on the telephone to ask how she could get a computer. I got that computer to her within a week and we have been happily Skyping ever since. We have spent two wonderful years seeing each other whenever we feel like it. I've been able to see my mum and dad's faces when they weren't feeling well. Most importantly my mum and dad have been able to witness my daughter growing from a tiny little baby into a boisterous toddler and haven't missed any of the big steps. One word she learnt very quickly was 'Nonna' which means grandmother in Italian. She learnt that word through Skype and it's now one of her favourite and most constant words. These days we Skype twice a week. Since that day my mum has been the most earnest advocate of 'how easy it is to use Skype.'

How Skype Changed My Life

As we mentioned in a previous blog, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT recently launched a short film competition called 'Digital Revolutions'. Entrants submitted films about how they see the world and the ways in which information technology impacts it. One of the shortlisted films from the amatuer category, made by Christine Conder, features Skype and showed how Skype has impacted her life. We think it's a wonderful story that we wanted to share with you all. Below is Christine's film and blog post about it's meaning. Enjoy!

The competition task was to make a film about the benefits digital technology had brought into my life. I decided to feature Skype in the film because it has made a tremendous difference to mine.

When I first started using a computer it was on dial up, and Skype chat was about all I could manage. Then we got broadband connection through the local community Wi-Fi network. My life changed.

My uncle bought my aunty a computer and camera which enabled us to keep in touch all through her chemotherapy because she lives a long way away from me, and Skype chat and video helped to keep her cheerful. My brother and sister live in the USA, and at Christmas we fire up Skype and the whole family come together. The time differences mean that the Skype is on nearly all day.

When my mum died we found Skype invaluable, because the phone line had to be free waiting for calls from undertakers and other funeral arrangers, but we had flights and accommodation to book for lots of people, so Skype took over. It gave us instant access to all the family and a virtual phone line with SkypeOut to ring hotels if they weren't online.

Since my grandchildren have been born they have been raised seeing me and talking to me on Skype. I am as much a part of their lives as if they all lived next door. When they get to the ages of 3 and 4, my grandchildren Skype me themselves to tell me all their news.

Nowadays people move all over the world with their careers, and Skype helps bridge the distance and make the world a smaller place. The old gossips over the garden wall now take place over the internet, and the world is better for it. Skype helps make the world go round, and it has been one of the best things in my life.

Why Television Broadcasters are Using Skype Video Calling

In less than two years, the integration of Skype video calling into news broadcasts has become so pervasive that three of the major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) in the U.S. are now using it at both a national (i.e., NBC's Today Show, ABC's Good Morning America, CBS' The Early Show) and local levels (affiliate news programs across the country). Currently, several affiliate news networks are incorporating Skype video calling on air as well.

Additionally, Skype video calling is integrated on cable news networks such as CNN, Bloomberg News, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, Discovery Science Channel and MSNBC, as well as top national broadcasters in Canada, the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) and Business News Network.

So, why are broadcasters supplementing their news reporting methods with Skype?

• Convenience - Broadcasters can bring in a wide range of talent and guests from around the world at any time to share their perspectives either live or recorded, providing valuable content broadcasts and websites.


• Easy to use - Increases agility of broadcasters, as guests can be brought on air as quickly as a video call can be placed (seconds) vs. the hours that are often needed to send satellite trucks to remote locations - perfect for those pressing deadlines.


• Cost-effective - Simply requires low-cost electronic equipment (a computer, high-quality or HD video webcam) and a broadband internet connection rather than the higher costs associated with more conventional equipment.


• Innovative - Allows broadcasters to connect viewers into their programming in a way that was not previously possible.

Just last week, we saw some interesting newsmaking via Skype including an unprecedented report from Pyongyang, North Korea and with miners near rescue, ABC's Jeffrey Kofman reported from Camp Hope in Chile.

Broadcasters can learn more on the Skype for Broadcast Web site.

A Skype Comedy Moment

At Skype, we enjoy hearing about all of the diverse uses of Skype video calls, and we especially love hearing about the ways it can make people laugh or smile.

So, we thought you'd enjoy this hilarious Skype video call on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", which just aired yesterday.

[UPDATE: The video has been removed from YouTube.]