By Monika Santini
It is difficult to speak with a child about Minecraft and the conversation not codeswitch over to the world of imagination and creation. Minecraft, a game that was released in 2009 under the pseudonym “Cave Game,” (A History of Minecraft, n.d.) has taken the gaming, programing, and coding worlds by storm. In the online-based game, the block-shaped players create their own worlds building cities, towns, homes, by mining and collecting materials. The game has co-op features that can be played on most popular devices and gaming systems, allowing for an infinite number of possibilities.
Like many pop culture takeover trends, they quickly infiltrate the classroom and become a topic of interest among students. Because Minecraft is a game by nature, it can be overlooked as an educational tool, regardless of its growing popularity among the masses. As the technology era continues to unfold at a rapid pace, educators should be in search of ways to integrate technology with student interests and content knowledge. Minecraft is a useful tool that educators can use to integrate technology and enhance the learning experience for their students. The company has even created “Minecraft: Education Edition,” a version geared toward classroom use. Here are some benefits to how Minecraft can be utilized for education:
A Playhouse for STEM
Technology’s influence over our everyday lives is causing education to take a 21stCentury turn. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) encompasses the 21stcentury skills students need to be successful in the coming years. The jobs under these umbrellas are what will drive the innovation that will build our future. According to Stemjobs.com, incorporating STEM can help “develop those soft skills that so many careers need, and so many students lack – skills like communication, problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, and data analysis” (Stem Benefits, 2018).
Minecraft provides a platform for these skills to be practiced and applied. Their website boasts about the opportunity it gives to support communication, problem-solving, and digital citizenship. The benefit of incorporating Minecraft within the classroom is that students are doing so in a controlled environment. Teachers are able to monitor their work and support their learning throughout the process. Team work and collaboration develops in a new, digital sense. While conversation continues in the “real world,” students also learn how to properly communicate in their created digital space.
Beyond the soft skills, the game’s focus of building and creating is what most educators look at. All of the STEM jobs come to life within the game. From coding and programming (technology), designing and building (engineering), chemistry experiments (science), and geometry (mathematics), students are exposed to experiences that target the core of these domains. It is rare to find a program that supports the development of soft skills and hard skills that students can utilize digitally, beyond the computer and into the classroom, and in their future.
Available Lesson Plans and Support
When viewing new education programs, administrators and educators often look for what support is provided through the platform. Available on their website for anyone to view are lesson plans that Minecraft, or other educators, create. Their database can be filtered by age range or subject areas and can also be search by using keywords. Each lesson, while written differently based on the author, has a set framework: Learning Objects, Guiding Ideas, Student Actives, and Performance Expectations. This ensure that all crucial aspects to the lesson are translated to whomever teaches it. The lessons also state what skills are addressed, provides the ability to print or share it with others, and attaches any supporting files that might be necessary when teaching the lesson.
Lesson plans are used for the implementation of Minecraft within the classroom, however the website also established a forum, blog, and other ways to stay connected with teachers on the global scale. Here teachers share about projects their students have completed, how Minecraft is impacting their practice, and upcoming events that are taking place all over the world. The website contains a tab called “Support” which directs viewers to the knowledge base to help troubleshoot or work through any issues that are occurring (Minecraft: Education Edition, n.d.).
Minecraft can sometimes be challenging, however it supports students’ growth mindset to fail, learn, and redo all in one space. This mindset is crucial to students’ success in the future. It sparks a passion for their school work that engages their love for learning beyond the classroom. Teachers are unsure of what jobs will be available and if their students will be well prepared their future endeavors. However, if teachers are supporting their students’ ability to persevere, problem-solve, and feel empowered, all while authentically engaging them in work that is of their interest, then the educators are making an immense impact that prepares students for the unknown.
References
A History of Minecraft. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://apexminecrafthosting.com/the-complete-guide-to-minecraft/history/
Minecraft: Education Edition. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://education.minecraft.net/
STEM Benefits. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.stemjobs.com/top-15-benefits-of-a-stem-education/