Skype

I have never actually used Skype except when my room-mate is talking to her boyfriend who is currently in Iraq. I like Skype for this reason. People who are living in two different cities, states, or countries have the option of staying in touch through a web cam. It's nice to know that I can have a "face to face" converstation with my friend who currently lives in South Korea if I choose to rather than talking through instant message.

Although I see the benefits of Skype in the classroom, I would only want to use it for guest speakers who are unable to come into the classroom. I personally don't feel comfortable using Skype with my students because of privacy issues. Parents may not feel comfortable with their children talking to their teachers online and I wouldn't want to over-step those boundaries.