Module 4-2 Digital Literacy

Here is a link to the blog that I read and am summarizing:

http://www.edutopia.org/skype-internet-tool-students

I first read this article because of its name, "Use Skype with Students". It caught my attention because I currently use Skype and know what a powerful tool it is.
I work from home as a contractor, so my other team members and I use Skype to keep in touch while we're working. Skype offers the ability to 'call' anyone else using Skype for free and any cell phones or landlines for a very low cost. It also offers a chat feature which allows users to type to each other. I think this is very useful while working because if I have a question, I can type it, send it, and keep working while I wait for a response. This cuts down on wasted time I might spend trying to get ahold of the other team members.
I started using Skype when I traveled to Poland 2 years ago to teach during the summer. My cell phone wouldn't even turn on in Poland unless I paid a ridiculous price to buy a new "international" phone along with the international fees for calls. Skype allowed me to call my family back in the U.S. for just a few cents a call. I could also type messages for them to recieve later which was convenient because there was such a great time difference.
This article addresses both of these uses for Skype in the context of the classroom. When students are ill and aren't able to make it to class, they can log onto Skype and communicate with the teacher to stay caught up on work. Also, if the teacher is out of the area on a trip he or she can also communicate with their class through Skype. This could be very useful, especially with all of the recent problems with the flu. There also seems to be an outbreak of Mono at the school my brother attends. Luckily he got Mono over the summer and didn't have to miss any school. But the students who are missing weeks at a time could stay in touch with teachers through Skype and keep up with daily homework in that way.