Skype in the classroom will no longer be supported

Lesson plans 4 comments

I have previously written about Skype in the classroom and that it is a smart and easy way to connect for teachers. I have also included some info about this in my new book. Since I just received this letter from Microsoft I thought I’d share it here. There are still many ways to connect with other educators online. I will be sharing more here in the weeks to come.

The Skype in the Classroom team has been honored to be part of the ongoing innovation and evolution of our global community of educators and content partners. Together, we have been able to connect students from over 120 countries. We have been in awe of the empathy, awareness, and compassion that you have been able to instill through the connections that you have made.

This year, we have seen tremendous growth in the connections made on Microsoft Teams and Flipgrid. We want to ensure that we continue to invest in solutions that you and all our community members are using the most. Because of this, we are refocusing our efforts to provide the most impact and benefit to all our global learning experiences.

As part of this transition, the Skype in the Classroom website will no longer be supported after December 18, 2020. After this date, Skype in the Classroom profiles, activities and calendars will no longer be available. Please download and save any content you would like to preserve.

There are so many other ways to connect your classroom to global learning opportunities. Here are some of our favourites:

  • Live Events: Tune in to our weekly live events featuring authors, experts, and amazing sites from around the world. Explore all upcoming events at aka.ms/EDULiveEvents
  • Classroom Connections: Join the Flipgrid community to find educators who are interested in sharing new cultures and experiences via GridPals. Once you’ve found a match, contact them to arrange a Teams meeting for a live connection or set up a shared Flipgrid to connect your classes.
  • Content Partners: Explore amazing content from our virtual field trip providers, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, California State Parks, Epic! Books, Scholastic, and more, in Flipgrid’s Discovery Library.

Share your amazing adventures with us by tagging @Flipgrid, #FlipgridForAll, and #MicrosoftEDU

You can find the latest updates on the Microsoft Education Community here and stay in touch with us by signing up for our newsletter here.

We look forward to your continued adventures and participation in our global community programs.
Many thanks,

Skype in the Classroom team

 

4 comments

  1. Deeply disappointed with the dropping of Skype in the Classroom. You failed to communicate with its thousands of teachers and this was left as a sudden surprise with no feedback from us. Another teacher said “It’s all about business (money)”. What is the worth of the virtual visits and connections developed over several years with fellow teachers around the world? In my mother’s words: “Some people know the price of everything and the value of nothing”. Is that Microsoft?

    Reply

I would love to hear from you