Skype

Skype

Skype is a proprietary telecommunications application, best known for VoIP-based videotelephony, videoconferencing and voice calls. It also has instant messaging, file transfer, debit-based calls to landline and mobile phones (over traditional telephone networks), and other features.
Skype is available on various hardwares: desktop, mobile and video game console platforms.

VoIP and Videoconferencing

Pedagogical background

Although Skype is a commercial product, its non-paid version is used with increasing frequency among teachers, schools, and charities interested in global education projects. A popular use case is to facilitate language learning through conversations that alternate between each participant’s native language.
The video conferencing aspect of the software has been praised for its ability to connect students who speak different languages, facilitate virtual field trip and engage directly with experts.
Skype in the classroom is another free-of-charge tool that Skype has set up on its website, designed to encourage teachers to make their classrooms more interactive, and collaborate with other teachers around the world. There are various Skype lessons in which students can participate. Teachers can also use a search tool and find experts in a particular field. The educational program Skype a Scientist, set up by biologist Sarah McAnulty in 2017, had in two years connected 14,312 classrooms with over 7000 volunteer scientists.
Skype Host a video or audio conference with up to 100 people, record calls, enable live captioning, or just talk via smart chat.
It is now possible to use the “Presenter View”. Select the Skype call change views button Change views button. Select Grid and decide what kind of view is the best: Presenter View, Ensemble Mode or Large Collection from the menu.
Skype allow to share photos, videos and other files up to 300MB by simply dragging and dropping them into the conversation window.
One of the solutions to access Skype without downloading the program to computer’s student is to use the web version of the application.
With Skype people can contact people who are not online with affordable international rates for calls to mobiles and landlines.

Use cases/examples of usage: (tutorial)

Strenght: With the meeting function, video chat participants can access the video chat even without a Skype account, just sharing the link generated by the program.

Weakness: In the free version group video call limits are 100 hours per month and no more than 10 hours per day and 4 hours per single video call. Once these limits are reached, the video switches off and you can continue via audio. Subgroups (rooms) cannot be created in the video call.

People opinion about the tool: https://www.g2.com/products/skype/reviews

Similar Tool: Zoom; MS Teams; Goggle Meet; etc.

Technical and operational requirements: Mobile, Desktop, Tablet, Web, Alexa, Xbox.