Skype is a free communications and collaboration tool to be downloaded and installed on your computer. You can use it to have text and voice message conversations with others who have Skype for free.
| Website: | www.skype.net |
| Cost: | Free although you pay to call landlines, mobile phones and send SMS messages |
| Availability: | Download – Windows, Mac OS |
| Top 100 Tools 2012: | 7 |
| Top 100 Tools 2011: | 4 |
| Top 100 Tools 2010: | 6 |
| Top 100 Tools 2009: | 11= |
| Top 100 Tools 2008: | 4 |
| Top 100 Tools 2007: | 3= |
Comments from some of those who selected Skype as one of their Top Tools
- “invaluable for tutorials with my students and yet again for my own Spanish language studies: I meet with a teacher on line every fortnight to practice conversation” Jane Challinor
- “Excellent for keeping in contact with colleagues and learners” Carol Cooper Taylor
- “Is my primary tool for voice communication, video communication, and small group meetings. I like it for its ease-of-use, price, and consistency”Janet Clarey
- “provides mixed synchronous and asynchronous communications, along with file transfer” Pat Parslow
- “Opens the world to the classroom. Can be used by the average person to communicate with people from all over the world. I recently gave a keynote speech in Indonesia (from my office in Iowa) through Skype.” Leigh Zeitz
- “A must have. Of all the video chat products available, the consistent quality of calls on Skype wins hands down.” Rich Chetwynd
- “a great (and free) alternative to the telephone” Jay Cross
A Practical Guide to the Top 100 Tools for Learning
Find out how to use the Top 100 Tools for personal learning and productivity, for professional development, in educational and training and for workforce collaboration
The Guide provides essential information about each of the tools and includes curated links to other excellent and useful resources. Find out more here.
