Welcome to the Free Academy Our slogan says it all: Real Education Really Free. And that means what it says. The Free Academy offers avies of most ages a chance to learn diverse subjects independently or in groups, a completely flexible schedule, and a place to get together with avatarim of like minds. And THERE IS NO TUITION. It's Second Life's first public school in the American sense of the word.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Free Academy?
The Free Academy is a public school for avatarim of most ages, that charges absolutely no tuition! In the United States, particularly in the Northeast, free academies were public high schools that opened in the mid Nineteenth Century. These schools were revolutionary because they did not charge tuition. Up until then high schools had fees. Utica and Rome, New York still call their high schools Free Academies. The Free Academy (There is only one in Second Life, and this is it!) carries on this proud tradition.

I don't believe you don't charge tuition? You have to pay for your land!
No I don't, and yes the Free Academy does not have to charge tuition, because it does not currently pay rent. Our learning platform (our campus) is 4004 and meters above the LEA5 sandbox.

Wait, you can't have a school in a sandbox! That's so cheesey!
Isn't charging tuition cheesey? Actually, the Free Academy does just fine in a sandbox. The owners are perfectly happy with us being there. The only catch is that like all LEA5 builds, I have to take it down once a week for cleanup. I can put it up again right after. That means the school is closed from 10pm on Thursday night to 5pm on Friday afternoon in the Eastern time zone (7pm Thursday to 2pm Friday SLT).

How does the free Academy work? What classes do you offer?
The Free Academy uses an independent learning model. You have probably heard educated friend, a college professor, or a teacher will tell you that it takes two hours outside class for every hour in class. Sometimes it is one or three, but the point is that most learning occurs on your own and outside the classroom. So it is with the Free Academy On the Learning Platform. we offer a Free Academy HUD that gives you easy access to the educational web pages of your choice. You and your avie can select any educational resources you wish (Up to twelve on a HUD and you can have more than one HUD). There is a notecard giver with resource lists to get you started.

That sounds so lonely! Why would I want to sit and read a book or do problems just by myself!
Please give independent learning a second look. First, arranging traditional classes in Second Life can be an exercise in frustration. The class may meet when you have committments in "real life." A crowded classroom full of avies in a mesh-rich or heavily textured build means lag! For child/young avatarim, your classmates may be much younger or older than you are, so the class may not be at the right level. Classes also last forty to fifty minutes and you may not have time to reflect or follow up on what you learn.

And yes, independent learning can be lonely, that is why we have a group that you are more than welcome to join. In the Free Academy group, you can discuss what you are learning or arrange group activities such as play readings, outings, or just group study. And of course there is the Learning Platform where you can arrange to meet other avatarim or have group study any time you can get schedules to mesh.

And isn't there always something you wanted to learn? Isn't there a classic book you always wanted to read? Well now is the time for you and your avie to curl up with books, magazines, how-to guides and more.

Who can go to the Free Academy? I'm a GROWNUP AVATAR and a GROWNUP in real life! Is your school just for kids?
The Free Academy is for all ages of avie. If you don't mind the presence of young avatarim, you are more than welcome to join. If you don't like child or adolescent avatarim, that is your problem.

I play a child avie in Second Life? What ages and grades does your school accept?
Avatarim of any age or grade are welcome. That said, if you play a nonliterate or very young avie you may run into technical issues. Most educational resources that don't bog down Second Life are text-based. Text just has lower bandwidth. If you can find non-text resources such as games or coloring sheets that don't crash Second Life, please let the group know about them, and by all means add them to your HUD. Also see the next question.

I am a parent in Second Life. What about me?
All parents especially those of very young avatarim are more than ecouranged to join the Free Academy group and help their child learn. Reading to a child is fun, and it is fun in Second Life as well. And hopefully, there will be other parents in the Free Academy group.

But a school needs spirit!
Well, the Free Academy has colors, turquoise and white, and a mascot, the beluga whale. "Go Bel-oooo-gah!" Shout it out, loud and proud!

What about lunch, extra-curriculars, field trips?
The The Learning Platform was designed to be very hospitable, but bare-bones space. Your avie is free to go to any number of other places: for example physical fitness at the Avatar Fitness Center or swimming at Siggy's Waterworks.

And the Free Academy group is a great place to arrange group outings. Also if you want to build a cafeteria or gym or anything else you feel we need, LEA5 is a public sandbox. Join its group and join the fun. You will be responsible take down and rebuild on a weekly basis.

OK, how do I enroll in the Free Academy?
Stop by the Free Academy Learning Platform. Pick up a HUD, and join the Free Academy group. If you would like to build persistent objects and run scripts in the LEA5 Sandbox (and you do! Your HUD has a script and you need to edit it!) you also need to join the LEA Art Sandbox group.

Hey wait a minute! What about tuition?
There isn't any. All of this is free.