TEACHERS COLLEGE IN SECOND LIFE

Teachers College has a new presence in Second Life, a virtual world where individuals, educational institutions, and businesses are finding interesting ways to socialize, communicate and provide educational opportunities.

Teachers College Second Life is a place where members from the TC community and others can visit to explore a virtual environment, teach a class, visit with friends, practice their designing and building skills, and conduct research on and about virtual spaces.

The island is under development, but contains "sandboxes" where members of the TC community can try out their designing and building skills, a TC Café where informal meetings can occur, an amphitheater for larger meetings and presentations, and three classrooms where groups can meet in an instructional space.  Video and audio can be streamed into the TC Island, PowerPoint presentations can occur, and we hope that you come to explore and see what Second Life and virtual worlds in general may have to offer.

As it's under construction, we welcome your comments and efforts to enhance TC's virtual presence.  Please send comments to Larry Furnival (Furnival@ tc.columbia.edu), George Schuessler (Schuessler@.tc.columbia.edu) or Chuck Kinzer (Kinzer@tc.columbia.edu).

Visiting the Island

To visit the TC island you must have a Second Life account and download the Second Life client software to your computer (www.secondlife.com).  A good graphics card and high bandwidth internet connection are required, but most newer computers have the necessary capabilitiese.  Accounts and the client software are free.  Once you have a Second Life account (you'll then also have your avatar—your Second Life character), please come and explore TC island.  President Fuhrman's inauguration speech is available at the amphitheater.

To get to the island, do the following:

1. Get your Second Life account and the Second Life software at www. Secondlife.com.

2. Log in to Second Life.  NOTE: If you are new, you need to have completed the welcome orientation. Once away from the Orientation Island area, do the following.

3. Click on "Map" at the bottom of your Second Life window.

4. Choose the "Terrain" tab in the map window (the tab is at the upper left corner of the map window).

5. Type "TC Educator" in the "search" field in the right menu bar and click "Search."

6. Teleport to the island.

You'll arrive at a landing area that includes a book with directions for using the island's teleporters and its developing features.  Fly or walk around the island and take in President Fuhrman's inauguration speech at the amphitheater.  If you see others there, initiate a chat.

Once on the TC Island, create a landmark using the "Create Landmark Here" tool in the World menu.  The landmark is placed in your inventory and you can then return to the TC island directly  by choosing the landmark from your inventory.

If you have an interest in TC's Second Life presence and have questions or difficulties visiting, there will be two, one-hour conversation/help sessions scheduled very soon.  These will be publicized in the next few days.  Come during those times and ask your questions, get some help, or just take a look over someone's shoulder as they navigate TC's virtual space.

To use the amphitheater, classrooms or developer's sandbox, send an email to SecLife@tc.columbia.edu.

Evolution of TC's Second Life

About two years ago Professor Chuck Kinzer began discussions with Linden Labs, creators of the Second Life virtual world.  He also met Chris Carella, a member of the Electric Sheep Company, and the relationships that were formed resulted in Chuck's receiving land in Second Life.  Together with Chris, Chuck developed and taught a class in 2005 called Possibilities of Virtual Worlds, based in and around Second Life.  Chuck was instrumental in Teachers College acquiring an island with the collaboration of Academic Computing Services.  Chuck and a small group of students in the program in Communication, Computing and Technology (with Selen Turkay taking the lead) and ACS began conceptualizing TC's virtual space and developing the island.  Chuck is teaching his Possibilities of Virtual Worlds course again this year and is continuing his work to enhance TC's virtual presence in Second Life.

TC's Second Life will evolve, as virtual worlds do, as its participants make known their needs and wishes, and as they help to design, build and collaborate in creating a dynamic and useful community.  Please feel free to come and explore, and to be a part of an exciting virtual educational possibility.