Webcams and Skype
The advising process requires many conversations and/or meetings. Advisors and advisees talk about program plans, upcoming deadlines, progress in a course or on a writing task, etc. This is particularly true for doctoral students in the dissertation phase of their programs.
I hereby encourage my advisees to utilize technology to assist with this process (there's a shocker!). Specifically, I think strategic and intelligent uses of webcams and Skype can save students travel time, parking costs, and/or long distance expenses. Here are three examples:
Example 1
A doctoral student moves to northern Minnesota. He e-mails me his latest dissertation draft. I look it over and make some comments / suggested revisions. We set up a time to meet online. At that time, he calls me via Skype. Once connected, we both turn on our webcams and we chat about his draft and my comments. No travel or long distance costs for either of us and we get to see each other's smiling faces while we talk. It's the next best thing to meeting together "live!"
Example 2
A Master's student lives and works in a nearby suburb. Although she is relatively close to the U, it still is a pain to drive in, find and pay for parking, and walk over to Wulling Hall, especially in the middle of winter. She e-mails me the latest draft of her Plan B paper and we set up a time to chat. On that day we connect via Skype, talk about her paper for 30 minutes, and we're done. She never has to leave her office.
Example 3
A doctoral student has a quick question about his program plan and some courses for next semester. He sends me the latest version of his course planning spreadsheet and then calls me up using Skype rather than the telephone. I answer his call just like I would answer my phone, we quickly connect about his question, and five minutes later we're done and he's ready to submit his plan for my signature.
Are you sold yet? I hope so!
If so, here's how to get started:
- Download and install Skype on some / all of your computers.
- Purchase a webcam and install the software on some / all of your computers. Although you may use any webcam that works with Skype, I recommend the Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision for laptops and the Logitech Orbit MP for desktops. If your webcam doesn't have an integrated microphone, you also will need a separate microphone to plug into your computer. Both Logitech and Creative carry a full line of webcams if you want to try and find something cheaper than what I recommend here. Of course you also can purchase webcams from Amazon, Best Buy, eBay, and other online and local sellers. Just remember that video and/or audio quality will be worse the cheaper (or older) your webcam.
- Add me to your Skype contact list. My Skype name is dr.scott.mcleod.
- From Skype, send me an instant message or call me to test the system.