What I've noticed as my daughter has grown older is how connected she is to her peers at other schools. She has a close group of friends that attend at least 4 different high schools. This is very different than my high schools days where your core peer groups was predominantly located at your own high school. She has regular conversations with friends from multiple schools within seconds. This evolution of communication is only beginning to become evident in our classrooms. Our classrooms need to experience more communication with those outside of the 4 walls of the room. This article by Jeff Dunn provides some great ideas about how to use Skype within the classroom. Given my background in special education, I can see the impact this tool would have on student engagement and experiential learning. Tools such as this allow educators to look outside the walls of the classroom in order to prepare students for life. Ministry or state curriculum may become dated but learning can always be relevant.
