Week 2

This week we explored global projects. I decided to compare Skype for Education and Empatico.

At first glance, both projects are very similar. The main function of both platforms is to connect students across the globe through activities and collaboration. They share goals of creating empathy and developing communication skills, as well as exploring critical thinking and inquisitiveness through the activities.

Skype for Education has a broader variety of activities and connections than Empatico. Skype connects classrooms with activities and collaborative projects, and offers virtual field trips and access to experts as guest speakers. Classes can connect through a singular experience by Mystery Skyping or arranging to complete an activity together. Different collaborative projects can also be set up or joined, connecting with multiple classes across the globe. Most of the activities and connections offered seem to be short term, something completed in one class session or a few. Resources and activities are available for a wide range of age groups.

Empatico is a more focused and structured. It is designed only for teachers with students ages 6-11. It also requires more long-term relationships, with two classes becoming partners and teachers working as a team. Each activity is more structured with three stages to the activity (prepare, interact, and reflect), which makes sense as it is targeted at younger students who need more direction and guidance. Empatico seems to offer more opportunities for relationship-building, as activities are always done with the same group.

Both global projects are great ways for students to be inquisitive and become exposed to new points of view. Skype has a wider range of opportunities. It seems to require more planning from the teacher, though there is freedom to pick and choose activities and types of interactions. Skype seems to be more about discovery and experiencing new ideas firsthand. Empatico’s narrower focus on relationship-building is indicative of its mission to create empathy in younger students. Though there’s no reason why an Empatico teacher couldn’t supplement with a Skype for Education activity or field trip. The emphasis on linking Empatico activities to standards and research is very helpful to give teachers a reason to incorporate the platform into their lessons. Both projects overall share the same goals and offer many additional resources to educators to help use the tool properly (blogs, premade activities, easy ways to connect).

Seeing different ways that Skype could be used in the Ditch That Textbook video was inspiring. Hearing about the teachers’ direct experience with Mystery Skype was interesting, and definitely informed my impression about the amount of work necessary to use Skype properly in the classroom. You have to prepare your students with how to think, the technology itself won’t automatically make the activity successful or worthwhile. I also had to laugh when one of the teachers shared their experience using Mystery Skype with older students. It just goes to show you that any age of student will get excited about learning in unique ways outside the classroom lecture/read/note-taking norms. There were such a wide range of ways that each teacher used Skype. You are only limited by your own creativity and imagination (and time, of course).