Wetoku

=WETOKU= Wetoku is a website similar to skype that allows you to conduct face-to-face video chats and interviews. All participants' faces can be seen on screen during the interview. The website automatically records the interview and produces an embed code/URL for sharing the video on websites.

Resources & Links
Main Site Feedback from a User Video Tutorial Quick blog post about the creators and history of Wetoku

Strengths

 * Free to use
 * Stores your past interviews online so you can access them all in one place
 * Automatically records the interview and provides the embed code (you do not need to prompt it to do this)
 * Simple format and easy to figure out with less than 30 minutes of site exploration
 * Can make videos password protected
 * No need to download software

Weaknesses

 * Can be slow and pixilated if not used on high speed internet or a quality computer (true of all video chat tools)
 * Computer needs a webcam and a microphone (some classroom computers are not equipped with these yet)
 * Each user must create an account
 * More difficult to set up than Skype
 * Less familiar to others than Skype (they may prefer to use Skype for Interviews if they are busy)

Opportunities

 * Can be used in ways Skype would be used, but much better for recording and sharing than skype interviews/chats.

Threats

 * Has easy connections to Facebook and Twitter; must make sure students create private videos and share in appropriate forums

Ideas for the Classroom

 * This could be used by students for a class project that requires gathering information from people who are not in the class (e.g., politicians, administrators, celebrities, experts, scientists, authors, etc).
 * Can use it to connect to students from other classrooms in other countries/cities. Great for classroom exchange projects!
 * Great for journalism classes and student production classes
 * Could be used within the classroom for beginning of year introductions and end of year goodbyes (for comparison)
 * Students can document a virtual pen pal relationship through videos instead of letters