Using Minecraft for Education
How does Minecraft work?
Minecraft is a video game with countless possibilities to explore the world through building objects and accomplishing tasks. Using blocks, children get to understand the work of body organs, chemical reactions, and important mechanisms; they learn to formulate algorithms and program them in a visual environment. Meanwhile, the teacher has the opportunity to direct the game and watch how the material is perceived.
Why Minecraft in Education?
Real Learning Outcomes
Educators are using Minecraft: Education Edition to teach a range of subjects, from history and chemistry to sustainability and foreign languages, and can map lessons directly to specific learning outcomes and curriculum standards.
Learn to code in Minecraft
Code Builder is a feature that allows students to learn coding in Minecraft using tools including Code.org, Tynker, Scratch and Microsoft MakeCode. Students can use blocks of code or JavaScript to build and create in Minecraft. Minecraft Hour of Code also offers a free, one-hour introduction to coding basics.
Classroom Friendly
Minecraft: Education Edition offers special features for educators such as easy tutorials, classroom management tools, secure sign-in, classroom collaboration and tons of sample lessons, plus a global network of mentors and tech support.
Build 21st Century Skills
Minecraft: Education Edition helps prepare students for the future workplace, building skills like collaboration, communication, critical thinking and systems thinking. The open learning environment gives students the freedom to experiment, encouraging creative self-expression and problem solving.
The Educator’s Journey
Starting the Journey
Spatial thinking and pixel art in Minecraft create an excellent opportunity for students to work on maths and visual arts objectives in an engaging environment. Additionally, pixel art is a medium that’s already engaging to students due to the fun aspects of the game which also then allows educators to take their first steps with the game without being the expert.
Assessing student work
For this pixel-art lesson, students turn in not only screenshots from their Minecraft creation but also their grid diagram from their plans. The educator also includes questions about scale and ratio to push student thinking.
Improving year on year
After the first year using Minecraft: Education Edition, educators can adapt, edit, and learn from the successes and blunders along the way. Each new year brings with it the opportunity to deepen their practice and refine their students’ learning experiences with Minecraft.
Supporting the Community
Educators visiting the Minecraft: Education Edition community site will find existing lesson plans on pixel art, grid paper to plan student work, and even a Minecraft world set up as a blank canvas for students to engage in creative expression. These materials are distributed to the students, and the crafting begins!
Time to Build
Students can open up a Minecraft world to use as their canvas. Their pixel art creations range from portraits to landscapes to patterns and language. Students take care to transfer their plans to the immersive space.
What plan is it included in?
For the feature Minecraft: Education Edition you require Microsoft 365:
A5
A3
£9.05 p/m
£4.85 p/m
Want to know more? Get in touch by clicking the below button or alternatively, by calling 0333 3209 900 to speak to one of the team.