From Skype to Teams: A Legacy of Making a Difference

Explore this article to see the evolution from Skype to Teams and the legacy of positive impact Microsoft's telephony technology has made on education throughout the years.

Big help from a small town. Pennsylvania educator and Skype Master Teacher Michael Soskil was honored as one of 10 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize for his contributions to global citizenship.

Through a Skype call with a sister school in a small Kenyan village in Africa, Soskil’s students learned of the village’s unsanitary water conditions that prevented students from going to school. Soskil’s class partnered with students in Kansas and Greece over Skype to help solve the problem and find solutions to provide clean drinking water, not only for the school, but also for many of the families in the village.

Evolution from Skype to Microsoft Teams

In recent years, Skype has evolved into Microsoft Teams, offering enhanced capabilities for collaboration and communication. Moving from Skype to Teams means users can now benefit from integrated chat, video calls, file sharing, and collaborative workspaces within a single platform.

Continuing the Impact

Kaylyn Dorland, an elementary school teacher at Queen of Heaven Catholic Elementary School in Milton, Ontario, and an esteemed member of the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) program, rose to the challenge during this period. Implementing tools like Microsoft Teams and OneNote, Ms. Dorland transformed her classroom into a safe and collaborative environment. Through these technologies, she empowered her students to tackle challenges and interact in ways previously unexplored, all while making learning enjoyable.

Amidst the pandemic, Kaylyn demonstrated the power of these tools. Watch the inspiring video created by Kaylyn and her students, where her students took on roles as directors and videographers behind the camera.

Transforming Education

Microsoft Communication tools not only facilitate seamless collaboration but also empowers educators like Soskil and Dorland to create meaningful learning experiences that transcend both geographical boundaries and unprecedented challenges. The platform’s robust features enable real-time collaboration, project management, and integration with other Microsoft 365 tools, enhancing educational outcomes worldwide.

From Skype to Teams, technology continues to empower educators and students to collaborate, innovate, and make a positive impact globally. For more inspiring content like this and access to exclusive events and promotions, subscribe to our newsletter here.