Using skype to collaborate

For me, skype is just used as an alternative of phone. I use it to call my parents sometime and we could see each other through webcamera. I've never thought of using skype as a tool to collaborate, teach and learn until I saw Using Skype to Collaborate (Classroom 2.0 Live this Saturday morning)on Moving at the speed of creativity. This post leads to another post Skype Virtual Guest Speakers and Collaboration wiki written by the same author earlier. He or she mentioned that skype can be used to bring in visual guest speakers to classroom. One person replied that he or she has invited several well-known children’s authors into the classroom via Skype. They spent time talking with students and answering questions. A great learning opportunity has been created. It connects the classroom with the outside world. I was so excited when I saw this and I definitely will try this in my future classroom.