What the Skype?

Although all of the presentations were great today the presentation about using skype and illuminate caught my attention. Through out the year we have been introduced to many web based applications to incorperate into our teaching. Many times due to time and other reasons we have simply been told to "check this out" or "you should try this" todays class was a great opportunity to actually be shown how to use skype and illuminate and there applications to the classroom. I really like what I saw from skype and think that I will be able to use many of its applications while teaching. Having guest lectures through skype is the most obvious use for skype. The thing that caught my attention was using skype as a conferencing tool and the ability to view the computer screen of the person that you are talking to. I could see this application becoming useful for students who are having trouble on the computer. They could skype with the teacher and show them exactly what the problem is. As far as illuminate goes it is a great program. The only draw back would be the cost. $500 dollars for one year does not seem like a viable option unless additional funding was availible. In comparing the two programs I would say that I feel that skype is the better program do to the fact that it is free and it can do many of the same things that illuminate is capable of doing.

-Cheers!