Global Collaboration, without leaving the classroom!

Seeing a Polar Bear is certainly not an every day occurrence for most of us and taking a stroll through Yosemite National park to meet the Grizzly Bears can often seem like a dream. But what if this was possible? Skype in the Classroom has the solution! Breaking down the walls of the classroom and having the world at your fingertips is all part of the immersive experience of using video conferencing to energise the curriculum and bring learning to life in a completely different way. Microsoft in Education will be hosting their annual Skype-a-Thon, November 13th and 14th, connecting thousands of classrooms to help open hearts and minds of our future generation in an increasingly complex world.

What is the Skype-a-thon all about?

This annual event is a celebration of the power of connecting students to each other globally, and an opportunity to teach greater empathy and compassion for our planet and for each other. Through sharing stories and projects, playing games, and collaborating on similar subjects, students’ hearts and minds are opened, allowing them to become more engaged global citizens.

Skype-a-Thon is a 48-hour event in which a global community, count the distance all students travel virtually during any Skype calls made from November 13^th through November 14^th.  Last year, thousands of classrooms participated across all seven continents. This year Microsoft Education are setting a goal for the global community to travel over 14 million virtual miles, and aiming to connect nearly half a million students.

What are the different ways of connecting?

Below are the 5 ways to connect your classroom globally. Click on each of the links to schedule your calls. 

Virtual Field Trips
Take your students for an adventure without leaving the classroom. Visit our experts out in the field all around the world!

Skype Lessons
Skype lessons are live learning activities given by experts via Skype around a specific topic or theme.

Skype Collaborations
Connect with other educators around the world and collaborate on a specific project. For example, if you’re teaching biomes, why not Skype with another class who lives in a very different biome to you?

Mystery Skype
The global guessing game that gets kids learning about geography, culture, and the similarities and differences of how children live all over the world.

Guest Speakers
Find hundreds of volunteer guest speakers from around the world on a wide variety of subjects.

https://youtu.be/r93nF6NYtA8 

Use the Activity Plan to organize your Skype-a-Thon call(s)

Download digital passports, stickers, posters and more

Schedule your calls via Skype in the Classroom

View teacher Skype-a-Thon stories via Flipgrid

For further support, please reach out to us at microsoftedu@lgfl.net where we can provide further details and support.