Skype

NOT ON THE TOP 100 TOOLS LIST IN 2022

Skype is useful for one-to-one interactions as well as group conversations. Skype for Business is an enterprise tool, and Skype in the Classroom an educational tool.

Website: skype.net
Cost: Free for computer-computer use. Pay to call landlines and mobile phones, and send SMS messages
Availability: Download

Ranking in the previous surveys: 

201: 48 2020: 19 2019: 19 2018: 18 2017: 11 2016: 7 2015: 9 2014: 25
2013: 13 2012: 7 2011: 4 2010: 6 2009: 11 2008: 4 2007: 3

Comments on Skype 

“Used this a lot in my time at school, very useful to communicate with classmates.” C. Tollenaar, Project Design Engineer, Netherlands, 2021

“For lots of interaction during a team meeting” Sacha Bos, Project Coordinator, Netherlands, 2020

“Work communication would not have happened if we didn’t have Skype for Business during lockdown.” Education Advisor, New Zealand, 2020

“We’re a Microsoft shop. While Teams is nice, it does not yet have all the features we need to deliver great virtual training. We still love Skype’s tools (e.g., Q&A, polling) and find them easier to use than Teams right now. Ideally, the two apps will become one in the future.” Training Manager, Switzerland, 2020

“main online meeting channel at workplace now” Director Knowledge Management, Austria, 2020

Quick Guide to Skype 

Here you will find some basic guidance and links to resources on how to use Skype for teaching, training, learning and development.

You can Skype ..

  • with one contact. You can find and add contacts using the Directory, and once they have accepted your invitation to connect, you can send them text messages as well as have a voice calls.
  • with a group. It is possible to have a text conversation with a group of contacts as well as make a group audio or video call. You can do this either by setting up a new conversation and adding contacts to it, or by adding contacts to an existing conversation.

You can also

    • share files.
    • share your computer screen.
    • create a shareable chat link
    • record Skype calls. Although Skype doesn’t natively do this, there are a number of other apps that can be used for this purpose
    • get a Skype number that anyone can use to call you from their phone, which you can pick up on Skype wherever you are in the world (Note: there is a charge for this.)
    • make sure you are not disturbed by setting your status to Do not disturb, if you don’t want to answer any calls or dealing with any messages straightaway.
    • add Skype buttons to your website or blog so that anyone call or message you.

In the workplace, Skype for Business is the enterprise messaging software where you can dd up to 250 people to online meetings and is integrated into your Office apps. Microsoft Teams is replacing Skype for Business.

In education, Skype in the Classroom provides similar functionality

Further resources

Last updated: August 27, 2022 at 12:20 pm

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