WSU is expanding its presence to a global audience via a new 3D campus in the virtual world Second Life.
The new campus was designed by staff and students who work for The Center for Distance and Professional Education (CDPE). The virtual project contains many recognizable features from the physical Pullman campus, including Bryan Hall Clock Tower, the CUB building and Glen Terrell Mall.
The new campus will be used to enhance some existing distance degree programs, according to CDPE assistant dean David Cillay.
“We’re implementing the land grant mission of the university in ways that were unimaginable to the founders of this institution,” said Cillay. “Thousands of far off students are getting their diploma through our distance degree program. Creating our campus in Second Life was just another way of opening up access to Washington State University.”
Students can use Second Life to communicate with both voice and text chat, as well as interact and collaborate on projects within a shared 3D space. The technology is already used by hundreds of universities, including Princeton, Harvard and Stanford.
“We have students here on campus building a virtual campus for our distance ¬students who are around the state of Washington and around the world,” said CDPE media production manager Brian K. Maki.
Brett Atwood, an assistant professor at the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, plans to use the 3D campus in both journalism and PR courses as soon as fall 2009. Atwood has worked directly with Linden Lab, maker of Second Life, as a Web content strategist.
In April 2009, he brought Linden Lab® chairman and Second Life founder Philip Rosedale to WSU as a keynote speaker for the Virtual Journalism Summit, where a sneak peek was offered of the new campus. Atwood is planning a follow-up event in Second Life for 2010 with new Murrow College dean Lawrence Pintak, who has used Second Life for a “virtual newsroom” project at the American University in Cairo.
Jitesh H. Panchal, an assistant professor with The School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, will also use Second Life to supplement his lectures in the fall.
Second Life users can access the new WSU Island campus by clicking on the following Second Life URL link: https://slurl.com/secondlife/WSU%20II/53/89/58 (requires Second Life).
See other WSU Second Life videos at
