Teachers College Information Technology (TCIT) is a consultative information technology organization responsible for academic and college technology. These services include:
The Policy on Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources at TC is listed on the Policies and Procedures Section of this catalog and can be found online in the Teachers College Policy Library.
Teachers College has established email as the official means of communication with students. Students are required to activate their Columbia University Network ID (UNI) and should follow the New Student Quick Start Guide.
The UNI is also required to log into the myTC portal. The myTC portal also includes access to Columbia libraries and databases, course management systems, and TC Apps. TC Gmail accounts are kept for life after graduation. If a student does not register again but does not graduate, the TC Gmail account stays active for 3 more semesters. More information on the Columbia University Network Identifier can be found on the Columbia University Information Technology page: www.columbia.edu/cuit.
If you are also an employee, please note that any access to employment-related email or other resources is discontinued on the last day of employment for the particular office.
Teachers College expects every student to receive email at their Teachers College email address and to read email frequently and consistently. A student’s failure to receive and read College communications in a timely manner does not absolve that student from knowing and complying with the content of such communications. Students may redirect (auto-forward) an email sent to their Teachers College email address to another email address unless they are also employees of the College and have access to confidential College information. However, students who redirect email from their official College email address to another address do so at their own risk. If email is lost as a result of forwarding, it does not absolve the student from the responsibilities associated with communications sent to their official College email address.
The complete policy can be viewed at Email Use Policy.
Data, voice, and video outlets as well as wireless access are found in every classroom and office on campus. Student residences are served by wired access mostly through a third-party provider.
Wireless access is available throughout the academic buildings and in common areas of the student residence halls. Those connecting personal computers to the College network are required to maintain current virus protection and device certificates, which can be done by downloading software from the myTC portal at no cost. They are also required to maintain current security by configuring Windows, Mac OS, IOS, and Android systems for automatic updates.
The Student Computing Support Center in 242 Horace Mann has 70 workstations and consulting support. It provides students with PCs and Macs, software, printers, and other peripherals. This laboratory is open daily. The Center’s software library includes PC and Mac programs such as MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite (Design Premium), statistical analysis, e.g. SPSS, R (and R Studio) SAS, STATA, EQS, HLM, MPlus, Latent Gold, Matlab, WinSteps/FACETS, NVivo, ArcGIS, Inspiration, Kidspiration, InspireData, Mathematica, Comic Life, Smart Notebook, and Food Processor SQL. Crowdstrike malware protection is licensed by the College for all students to download for their home computers. Crowdstrike is installed on all college purchased computers. Several software applications including MS Office, SPSS, R, Endnote, a bibliographic database program, Matlab, a quantitative analysis program, and NVIVO, a qualitative analysis program are also available through site licenses for home use. Downloads are accessed via the web at myTC portal. Computer classrooms with workstations at each seat in 345 Macy (see below) are available for open use when not scheduled for instruction.
Email and local websites can also be accessed from the kiosks located in corridors, Everett Lounge, and ground floors of campus buildings.
Printers are available for students using the TC printing system in the Student Computing Support Center in 242HM, the computer classrooms in 345 Macy, the commuter lounge, and the Whittier resident Hall 10th-floor computer lab. Students can print 20 double-sided pages per week across the semester at no cost and can purchase additional pages at 5 cents per page black & white and 50 cents per page for color. For volume printing, we recommend using TC Business Services (located in Zankel 34).
There are also two Columbia printers located in the Gottesman libraries which provide students with 20 double-sided pages per week at no cost (in addition to the Teachers College printing system) with the option to purchase additional pages also at 5 cents per page black & white. For volume printing, we recommend using TC Business Services (located in Zankel 34).
TC Apps is a collection of integrated applications available through a sign-on to myTC. These include Google Apps for Education, Learning management systems Moodle, Canvas and BlackBoard, Mahara for ePortfolios, and Alfresco for managing files.
Other online resources include Qualtrics, an online survey platform that is available to students and faculty for use in creating, administering, and reporting on surveys. CIS provides both video-conferencing and a web-based conferencing application called WebEx, which provides desktop audio and video conferencing along with application sharing for those who can’t meet in the same physical space. All members of the community have access to Lynda.com for learning a wide range of technology programs
TC Course/Learning Management Systems
Canvas is TC’s main course management system, and it is integrated with TC Apps. Systems include features such as syllabi, course materials, announcements, online discussions video and chat sessions. These systems are used by TC onsite and online courses.
All of our 65 classrooms have dedicated equipment such as PCs, Macs, projectors, and document cameras. Many of the rooms are set up with cameras and software for asynchronous, synchronous, and collaboration. Mobile multimedia, laptop carts are available for use in rooms that do not have dedicated equipment. Several new classrooms were built to provide experimentation spaces with state of the art active learning technologies. The lessons learned through the use of these spaces resulted in the design that is being used for ongoing classroom renovations. The rooms are equipped for video conferencing and lecture capture, with touch LCD panels, and the ability to easily share content among room participants including the use of personal mobile devices. There is flexible seating to easily move from lecture to group work, and plenty of whiteboard surfaces including the tables.
Training workshops are scheduled throughout the year on the use of Google apps and word processing, spreadsheets, social networking media, web publishing, statistical analysis surveys with Qualtrics, and video creation. New workshops focusing on design for online teaching and learning provide a resource for both faculty and students. In addition to workshops, individual and online training using LinkedIn Learning is also available. The workshop schedule may be found on the Technology homepage.
Students are able to register, drop and add classes, check financial aid, academic history, and current grades or pay by ACH via the web portal at myTC portal.
The new mobile app gives you a single interactive portal for Teachers College services, from the telephone directory to e-mail and course scheduling. Your one mobile place for all things Teachers College. The app is available for IOS and Android devices.