November Learning: Expanding the Boundaries of Learning

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Skype gives students and teachers the power to make authentic, collaborative connections with anyone around the world. Use this valuable tool to encourage global discussion and debate or to interview leading experts. And don’t stop there! Record conversations and upload them to a class website, blog or podcast series. Expand the boundaries of learning in your classroom.

Let’s take a look at the process of recording an interview via Skype. This process is the same one we use when we interview individuals for the November Learning Podcast Series.

Setting Up a Skype Interview

  1. Download Skype from www.skype.com. Install and create an account. This is the account name you will be giving others you wish to talk to. If you’ve never done this and want more detailed instructions, visit our Using Skype handout available in the Resources section at www.novemberlearning.com.
  2. In preparing for your interview, decide how you are going to connect with the other party. You have two options.
  • Encourage the other party to install Skype on their computer. Then simply make a free call using Skype from your computer to them on their computer.
  • Use SkypeOut to call the other party on their mobile or landline phone. This option is not free, but it is not expensive either. If you live in the United States, you can purchase the SkypeOut plan for $29.95 per year. This plan lets you make unlimited calls to anyone in the United States or Canada. If you are making calls outside the United States and Canada, you can do so for about 2 cents per minute.

**Note** For the best quality in your recording, we highly suggest the free Skype to Skype method and that all parties use noise canceling microphones and headphones to cancel out unwanted echoes. You can invest in a pair of microphone/headphones at most electronics shops starting around $20.

Recording and Editing the Interview

  1. When you are ready to begin your Skype interview, call the other party. Don’t limit yourself to only including one other person. Skype allows you to start a conference call with up to five people (yourself included). To start a conference call, open Skype and click on the Call menu and choose Start a Conference Call on a Mac or click the Conference button on a PC. Select the individuals you want to include on your call.
  2. Once you have all parties on the line, you can start recording your conversation using one of two programs. On the Mac, you can use Audio Hijack found at www.rogueamoeba.com ($16 standard version and $32 pro version) and on a PC, you can use PowerGramo found at www.powergramo.com (free standard version and $24.95 pro version) or Pamela found at www.pamela-systems.com (free standard version and $24.95 pro version). Both programs are easy to install and include a one button record feature. For more details and instructions on using this software, visit the websites for each program.
  3. At the end of your call, stop the recording process. You will be given the option to save your work as an mp3 file.
  4. Now, you can open your saved file in either Audacity (Mac/PC http://audacity.sourceforge.net) or Garageband (Mac Only www.apple.com/ilife/garageband) to edit your interview if you choose. Once the edits are complete, simply upload your newly edited file to your website, blog or podcast series. Advertise the interview to other classes and peers and encourage feedback.