Learning is Messy -- Videoconferencing in the Classroom with Skype

One of my favorite blogs, The Infinite Thinking Machine, shared this today and I want to spread the love. Head on over to "Learning is Messy" to view a VERY cool video about how a class of 4th graders bring a classmate who suffers from leukemia into their classroom with the aid of Skype videoconferencing. Priceless.

My own class did a similar thing using Skype earlier in the year to chat with a 4th grader whose family was in Holland for the first several months of the school year. If you missed that, here's the link to its "celebration" posting. There's a brief movie clip there for you, too.

Possibilities are endless, dontcha know?

High Definition Telepresence from Polycom

This is a news article from a couple weeks ago, so is it still news? I dunno, but I found it so interesting that I dragged it to my links bar to make sure I blogged it. Von Magazine ran an article about Polycom's new HD telepresence solution that I simply must share: Its claim that the RPX HD "family" is "backwards compatible with the million-plus video systems already deployed on desktops and in conference rooms around the world" just makes me want to run out and buy one, especially if it'll help me facilitate meetings that look as good as this one!

Oh, yeah, I forgot. It's probably pretty pricey!!! Oh well, one can dream...

(A reliable inside source tells me the entry-level unit that can accomodate groups up to four people is around $250,000.)

See ya!