Minecraft Education

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For this post, we asked one of our Clinical Fellows Bethan to provide an overview of Minecraft Education – a game-based learning platform from Minecraft which attempts to harbour an immersive, creative and classroom accessible online learning platform for learners. Here’s Bethan’s take:

N.B. The EduPLAYtion authors and Bethan have no conflicts of interest or endorsements to announce

Minecraft is a popular game targeted at children and young adults in which players create imaginary 3D worlds form the ground up. Recently, and excitingly for those of us interested in playful learning, the game has extended into the realms of education through the creation of Minecraft Education Edition.

The motives? To bring aspects that learners enjoy in their spare time into the classroom, to build skills fit for the 21^st century, to empower creation and self-expression in the classroom and much more. Utilising creative and innovative digital strategies such as these also acknowledges that the learners of today will need to be flexible and adaptable in gaining skills for jobs that don’t even exist yet in a world of technology beyond our imaginations.

From the outside looking in, it seems as though this learning object can bring the classroom to life. Furthermore, in my experience, most children already have the IT skills to play the game (I’ve seen a boy come round from a general anaesthetic and the first words he uttered were “where is my iPad?”). But whether or not you believe kids overuse technology, the fact is its here to stay. By adding a new dimension to Minecraft, the learner’s passion for the creation and innovation allowed within these programmes is mobilised into learning key elements within the curriculum in the supported and directed environment of the classroom.  Not only this, but so called ‘soft’ skills are also nurtured – looking at some of the experiences gained by teachers using this tool - 98% said that the game improved problem solving, a skill relevant in all walks of life.

So what examples are there of this game being put into practice?

A school in California have integrated Minecraft into their history curriculum. The challenge …. to build a settlement on the banks of the Virginia coastline. Students have many elements to consider – where will be the best place to build a home? How will food be grown? Will the settlement be sustainable? During the game, situations arise that cause ethical dilemmas – encouraging different teams to work together and show empathy to achieve a shared goal. This arguably shows the ability of games-based learning strategies to triggers relational and emotional learning. One student said that they discovered that working together with members of different groups proved to be much more successful. “I am very independent […] but working together can be even more important.”

Another school used architectural plans to reconstruct a Roman city in the game. Providing an interactive platform in which to immerse students in history.  It also explored how to modernise  urban living with emphasis on sustainability – a skill that is growing increasingly important.

So what were the key messages from the case studies of Minecraft education?

1- Students are more engaged – especially kinesthetic learners.

2- Improved teamwork and problem solving may be demonstrated

3- Games increase the classroom “buzz” with students being excited about their work – one must however consider whether this actually aligns to deeper learning.

4- Ethical dilemmas during the game triggering a deeper level of emotional learning.

Whilst not being immediately accessible or perhaps easy to implement in many areas of teaching, the basic underlying principles of enhancing teaching and learning through digital innovation and playful learning become clearer when we see such tools being applied in the real world. It’s certainly something I look forward to seeing develop in the future.