Skype in the Classroom Community Now 50,000 Teachers Strong

Feb 22, 2013 2:00 PM ET
Skype in the classroom (http://education.skype.com) program growth.

Skype in the Classroom Community Now 50,000 Teachers Strong

When Skype launched our global community for educators, Skype in the classroom, we wanted to help educators all over the world provide more interesting and exciting learning experiences to their students.  The community has been running for a little over a year and a half, and the creative lessons we’ve seen teachers conduct – from a session on the importance of reading with NBA all-star Shaquille O’Neal to meeting Santa Claus face-to-face to learning about geology and ecology from a Yellowstone National Park Ranger – have been nothing short of incredible.

We’re proud to announce that today we now have over 50,000 teachers signed up as a part of the Skype in the classroom community. Each day, teachers from nearly every country in the world speaking 66 different languages are actively collaborating on over 2,500 Skype lessons.

Check out just a few of the interesting lesson plans currently available on Skype in the classroom website below:

Use Skype to join explorer Mark Wood on his Everest adventure

Polar explorer and adventurer Mark Wood will be leading an expedition through the Himalayas in an attempt to summit Mount Everest in March 2013.  Ten lucky schools from ten different countries will have the chance to speak with him via Skype during his descent of the mountain.

Humans in Space

What’s it like living in space?  Skype in the classroom affiliate NASA’s Digital Learning Network is providing classrooms with the opportunity to speak with astronauts about the physiological, physical, and mental challenges that are presented about living in zero-gravity, encouraging students to suggest their solutions to problems that astronauts living in space must overcome.

How Far Food and Culture are Related

An elementary school English teacher in Egypt is looking to partner with other EFL/ESL learners from around the globe to discuss how food relates to the cultural themes of movies, food and transport.

Are you interested in bringing exciting experiences to your classroom?  Sign up for Skype in the classroom now for free by visiting http://education.skype.com or by clicking here. We’d love to hear your feedback about the program on our communities on Facebook and @SkypeClassroom on Twitter.