We all know Skype as a telecommunications applications software that people all over the world use to communicate with their friends and family via video calls, phone calls or chats on a variety of devices for free. As part of my personal and professional plan, I aspired to professionally develop myself in something different that I had not tried before and by chance stumbled upon a twelve hours online course titled ‘Skype: The Ultimate tool for the Global Classroom’. I seized the opportunity without any reluctance and I am glad I did it as it opened a new world of possibilities to engage learners of all styles. It opened up a new world to explore and as I advanced through the modules one by one I felt like a child left all alone in a room with interesting things to discover. Mystery Skype, Virtual Field Tours, Sharing the screen to share resources while educating through Skype, inviting guest speakers and the opportunity to be part of an exceptional community called the ‘Microsoft Educator Community’ thrilled me as I imagined the endless prospects. The realisation that there were hundreds of Microsoft educators who were already part of this productive community humbled me and I joined them with the intention of being an active contributor.
My first venture to take junior learners on a virtual tour of the Ghetto fighters House, the first holocaust museum to be founded by holocaust survivors, (https://education.microsoft.com/ghettofightershouse) backfired as the atmosphere turned tumultuous due to an unpredictable dissension. Even though I know, ‘Hope is a worse flatterer than Death,’ I am determined to persevere as a, “Winner never quits and a quitter never wins.” Retrospectively, I decided to choose my audience wisely. I have achieved three badges and I have 199 more to go but as I have “promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep” (Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening – Robert Frost) I depart entertaining the thought that I will get there some day.
A Writer's Exposé 