------------------------------------ CPNewsLink Transcript: Technology & Classroom Learning Tuesday, September 25, 2007 / 2:00pm ET ------------------------------------ Moderator: Good afternoon, everyone. We will be getting underway here in just a couple minutes. Moderator: OK, let's begin. Moderator: Thank you, everyone, for coming to the CPNewsLink online chat this afternoon. Moderator: Today's conference will focus on the topic of how computers and interactive communications technology - like VoIP and videoconferencing - have removed geographic barriers to the traditional, in-person classroom learning process. Moderator: With just a click of the mouse, students and teachers are using communications technology to connect with people who they are separated from by geography, language or culture and revolutionizing the traditional classroom learning experience. Moderator: We are pleased to have three knowledgeable speakers on our topic today: Moderator: Originally, we were going to have Hansi Lo Wang, Senior Producer of War News Radio at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; In Hansi's place, we now have two reporters for War News Radio: Jess Engebretson and Clare Kobasa. (Please credit them in Hansi's place, instead). Moderator: Second is Professor Jose Vicente Arizmendi, Chair of the Department of Communication & Language at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Cali, Colombia Moderator: And finally, we are joined by Skype representative Brianna Reynaud, PR Manager at Skype North America. Moderator: A press release detailing each of these speakers and their experience using technology in their classrooms and on-campus is available on Collegiate Presswire at http://www.cpwire.com/artman/publish/article_1652.asp Moderator: As usual with our interactive conferences, we'll have plenty of time for your questions for the speakers - both individually and about the general topic of the conference. Moderator: That said, please join me in welcoming our speakers to CPNewsLink today! War News Radio: Hi everyone Skype: And Hi from Skype! I work with Skype North America, and we are excited to see the impact that voice communication on Skype is having by freeing conversations and enriching curriculum. Moderator: OK, let's start with a big question: Moderator: A question for War New Radio: Can you please provide us with a overview of the show and describe its format? Moderator: While we're awaiting that answer, I'm sure you have many questions for our guests. Please enter your questions in the box indicated at the bottom of the Chat window, and click the "ASK" button. Moderator: If you have a question for a specific guest, please indicate to whom you would like your question directed at the beginning of the question. A question for War New Radio: Can you please provide us with a overview of the show and describe its format?? War News Radio: War News Radio is a weekly radio show out of Swarthmore College run by students and its aim is to cover the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from a more personal level and to get more voices from those places. A question for War New Radio: Can you please provide us with a overview of the show and describe its format?? War News Radio: The show includes a newscast to feature stories in a segment called "A Day in the Life" which is just one person's telling of their own story.= and a 101 piece which aims to be more informative about a particular city or issue. What was the format of War News Radio before Skype? How did you hear about Skype and what made you choose it to communicate with people in Iraq and Afghanistan? War News Radio: War News Radio chose it as a free and easy way to reach people in those countries who would not otherwise be accessible. Professor, could you describe the language exchange curriculum or program that your students participate in? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: Ours is a a pilot project for acquiring language through e-Tandem Learning via Skype. Professor, could you describe the language exchange curriculum or program that your students participate in? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: Every week, a group of students of Spanish language in Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) meet via Skype for a 60 minute language interchange with a group of students from the regular English program at Universidad Javeriana (Cali, Colombia, South America) For War News Radio... Can you tell us, specifically, how you've used Skype and how it compares to more traditional forms for sourcing stories? War News Radio: We use Skype to search for people in Iraq or Afghanistan by using the "Search" feature that allows you to search for users in a particular country who speak a particular language and then we usually begin by chatting with them as ourselves and in a less formal context than we woul normally thr ough a phone interview.Over time, we get to know people as contacts we can get back to and they can help out us get in touch with other contacts and we build a netowrk through Skype. Professor, can you describe what type of classes use this and what languages they are learning? And who they practice with? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: We are talking about English and Spanish as a Foreign Language programs Can you describe the impact it's had in your classroom and how long you've been doing it? Also, what alternative technologies - if any - were you using before to do this? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: The interactions provides comprehensive input, this allows students not only to put into practice what they learn in class, but also to create with the language. Everything, of course, under teacher support and guidance. Moderator: Participants, please feel free to keep the questions coming... We're just working our way through the queue and look forward to your continued questions! Can you describe the impact it's had in your classroom and how long you've been doing it? Also, what alternative technologies - if any - were you using before to do this? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: it provides meaningful communication and interaction which leads to modified input, recasting, higher comprehension and eventually higher output For War News Radio... Who are some subjects you have interviewed in your coverage? War News Radio: One of the best stories that War News Radio has done using Skype involved a story about two different Iraqi girls who had gotten nose jobs. One had had an operation because her brother thought she looked ugly and the second one had the operation because her nose had been blown off by a bomb. For Professor Vicente, What are a few examples of memorable exchanges? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: i would say it is high and low culture exposure. High being - Literature, Art, arquitecture , etc. Low being - what is playing on your Ipod- why don't you eat chicharrones for breakfast when we do For Professor Vicente, What are a few examples of memorable exchanges? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: Our students now know that in Milwaukee takes place the biggest festival in the U.S., called "Summer Fest" For Professor Vicente, What are a few examples of memorable exchanges? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: And students in Milwaukee now know that "Feria de Cali" is one of the largest festivals in Colombia Question for War News Radio: ...Do you see the radio show ever using Skype to contact the troops directly, getting first hand answers to war-related questions? War News Radio: I don't think we have used the soldiers' voices through Skype beacuse most Army soldiers have to go through their press office before they can speak to us. Skype: Hansi - do you ever uses video calling? War News Radio: In answere to Skype's question,we do not usuallly use video conferencing. We usually just get on the phone.Some people record directy from Skype or get a number and call. Hansi, is there a way to access the radio show from other universities? I'm from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, how would a student here be able to listen to the radio show? What can other campus students learn through listening? War News Radio: We post the show on Friday afternoons on the website www.warnewsradio.org. It is a way for other students to get a sense of the impact the war is having on peoples lives. Also, it is a way college students can be involved and find out about these things for themselves. For Skype ... Have you noticed this technology-in-classroom-learning trend on other college campuses? Skype: Yes, especially related to language exchange. We have heard about classes at Oberlin College, MIT and Dickinson College that are using Skype inside the classroom to connect with native speakers. Also Skype is very popular among students studying abroad. Bentley College in Waltham, MA and Notre Dame College (South Bend, Indiana) encourage the use of Skype among their students studying abroad as a way to save money. War News Radio folks - how receptive have Iraqis been to speaking with you about their experience War News Radio: Most Iraqis are receptive to talking with us, but some people are not, for personal security reasons. For Professor Vicente -- can you see a difference in your students' language skills since you've introduced skype into your classroom? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: I must say my colleague Oscar Mora, who has been leading the project this term, is here with me. He has noticed that personal relationships motivate learning and also develop the student's drive to improve their communicative skills Have your students formed personal relationships with their videoconferencing peers? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: Yes, some of our students talk, via Skype, out of class. Some use the webcams and headsets at our Language Lab (24 units) and some use their own computers at home. Why do college students use Skype instead of other communications options? War News Radio: For War News Radio, we use Skype to get in touch with a variety of people on the ground and it is also cheap, which is good. What are some other ways students or teachers are using Skype? Skype: In addition to using Skype for education purposes, Skype is very popular among students studying abroad, because it is a cheap and easy way to stay connected. Study abroad students are using Skype to stay connected to their loved ones back home. Skype?s free video-calling lets you have a virtual visit. All you need is a webcam set-up with your PC. (Some computers come fully equipped with a webcam; in this case, there is no need to purchase external hardware).With Skype you can also call any phone number, whether a landline or cell phone, for a very cheap rate. For example, it is pennies on the dollar to call from the U.S to London. Skype offers a flat rate calling plan for unlimited calls to landline and cell phones in the US and Canada. Right now, it only costs about $30 for an entire year for domestic calling ? great for the student budget. Skype: Additionally - Skype offers instant message called ?chat.? This can be one-tone communication or IMing with large groups. Students are Kellogg Business School at Northwestern University love this feature, because it enables easy communication for study groups. Students at Kellogg also heavily use, Skype?s conference call feature that enables up to a 10 person conference call at one time. These students use it, so they don?t have to meet in person to study groups. I understand you use video-calling in your classroom. Can you tell us a bit how that's impacted your language learning? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: Students establish eye contact, they talk and use the chat to solve spelling or vocabulary problems. Besides they send material such as audio files to each other. Before you used Skype, how did you find subjects for War News Radio? War News Radio: We Gogle people online and look at blogs and see what people are writing about. and we also look and see who is in Iraq and Afghanistan and try to talk to them on Skype. Is Skype's service more than voice? What other communication methods can it handle? Skype: Yes, Skype is more than voice calling . . . Skype lets you express (e.g. through voice, video, SMS & chat), share (e.g. through file transfer, conference calling, SkypeFind, Skype Prime and Dragonfly) and do more (e.g. through Skype Extras, Send Money etc) For Professor Vicente - how did you come to pair your school with Marquette? Who initated the program? Jose Vicente Arizmendi: Both Universidad Javeriana and Marquette are jesuit institutions. It all started with an email between professor Colleen Coffey, from Marquette, who was developing the idea earlier, and myself. Let me also add that 60% of our students never spoke to an English native speaker before this project started. for War News Radio --- do you think services like skype (that make it easy to find sources overseas or long-distance) will have an impact on the way journalism is practiced in the future, particularly on college campuses? War News Radio: I think especially on college campuses since it gets them access to a world hey did not have access to prior to that. Traditonal journalists have always had that kind of accces, but on collegecampuses, we can't send someone over there. This is our way of finding them instead. War News Radio-- What other technologies do you use in producing War News Radio? War News Radio: Mainly we use"Protools" which is audio-editing software that allows us to edit interviews we've done and put together sound from different people into a complete piece. For Skype, would you be able to estimate how many universities use Skype in their classrooms? are there other businesses that use the communication tool? Skype: Unfortunately, we don't break out how many universities use Skype but we hear anecdotally that Skype really appeals to students - since it fits their budget and helps them stay connected to family and friends when away at college. Additionally, we have seen a huge trend in using Skype inside the classroom- for the exact reasons that War News Radio and Professor Vicente Arizmendi are using it. For Skype, would you be able to estimate how many universities use Skype in their classrooms? are there other businesses that use the communication tool? Skype: For the business question, 30% of Skype's users use Skype for business purposes. Skype offers a rich set of features that make it appealing for a business user including video calling and chat. for War News Radio--What are the most touching stories you've heard from people in Afghanistan? War News Radio: Last year, I did a piece about Afghanistan students in the USA . I talked to several students who had come to college in the USA after high schol in Afghanistan during the war there and their responses to the effects of the war on their home and their responses to being in the USA and trying to adapt to this new culter were very touching. For War News Radio ... How many people work on producing your program? War News Radio: About 10-20. 8 are hard-core and about 10-15 others pitch in. Now that eBay owns Skype, how has the service changed? Skype: Adding Skype to eBay is beginning to do exactly what we expected ? helping buyers establish more trust with sellers to complete more transactions. Although still early, we see opportunity in the Skype Me buttons, particularly on higher priced categories like motors, jewelry, and electronics where buyers often have detailed questions for sellers. We continue to gather feedback from the community to improve functionality. Now that eBay owns Skype, how has the service changed? Skype: Furthermore, Skype Send Money (in beta) is an example of how all three brands (eBay, Skype & PayPal) are working together to connect individuals. With Skype Send Money, PayPal and Skype users can now quickly and safely send money via Skype to their friends and family around the world. Skype users can send money to any Skype name on your contact list and receive money from any Skype name. Once a user has received money successfully, both PayPal and Skype account are linked. We think this increases community spirit for our 220 million global users. Skype users can send money to one another - John paid lunch for Harry. When they chat on Skype, Harry sends back the money he owed. Moderator: That concludes our time for questions. Do our speakers have any closing remarks? War News Radio: Thanks for having me and for all the great questions. Skype: Yes, thank you for having us and for your interest in Skype. We are really excited to see how Skype is helping connect classrooms and loved ones worldwide.We hope you and your readers check out www.skype.com to see all the cool things you can do with Skype. Jose Vicente Arizmendi: Thanks a lot for your interest in our project. http://www.puj.edu.co. Jose Vicente Arizmendi: bye now Moderator: On behalf of our speakers, thank you for attending, and thank you for your interest. And, on behalf of the college journalists attending this event, and those reading about it, our thanks go out to our guests for taking time out of their busy schedules to chat with us today. Moderator: If you have additional questions about this story, or would like to find local users (students or faculty members) at your college or university, please contact Skype@kaplowpr.com for more information. Moderator: Additionally, for your use in writing a story, we will be sending a full transcript of this event over Collegiate Presswire shortly to all of our subscribing newspapers, and we'll be posting a copy on the front page of the CPNewsLink website after that. (http://www.cpnewslink.com) Moderator: We hope you enjoyed this chat, and trust that it provided you with some insight and perspectives for your use in writing your stories. Moderator: Thank you, once again, for attending today's CP NewsLink conference. Moderator: Goodbye, everyone!