Educators who are fond of integrating technology and using gamified ways for education must be familiar with the classic game, “Minecraft”.
This block building game is favorite to many, not just educators but the students love it as well. Students create structures in a 3D environment.
Minecraft: Education Edition is an open world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem solving in an immersive environment where the only limit is your imagination. Educators, administrators, and students at eligible academic institutions can try Minecraft: Education Edition for free.
Minecraft differs from other video games not only in its appearance (the graphics are not particularly flashy) but because the objective is to construct stuff rather than destroy stuff. With an open approach unlike many other games that are subject specific, this particular game helps students in polishing every skills and also works as an added resource to academia. Because of its constructive nature where users have to form infrastructures using various kinds of blocks, students develop other skills also such as reading, creative thinking, problem solving and many others.
Here are some key reasons why should consider introducing Minecraft in schools.
1. Fosters Creativity
Playing Minecraft is like painting a blank canvas. With blocks, students can build massive infrastructures and the only limit is their imagination. Players construct from their imagination; they build castles, huge buildings, houses, tree houses and infrastructures that they can imagine. The game offers a creative mode option for players whose main passion is to create. The very nature of the game is about generating new ideas and concepts and also finding associations. You may like this BBC report showcases a UK school that uses Minecraft for its Year 7 English classes. The boys who showed a lack of interest in traditional literacy teaching turned out pieces of writing that were “just incredible”.
2. Instill kids with Consistency and Determination
Children about to play Minecraft without a plan may get overwhelmed easily or find themselves spending a lot of time thinking about what to build. This teaches them the importance of determining what their goals are and what they need to get there. They will be able to carry this concept as they grow older and apply them in real-life situations. One thing that is sure with Minecraft is that kids won’t leave their goals unachieved. This very feeling of finishing what you start instills kids with essential values like determination and being consistent. Not just with the game but in real life these values are of great importance and this is just one way kids can learn and adapt top these values in their real life.
3. Authentic Mathematic Learning
Minecraft works as an all-rounder game for kids but learning math would be the best feature of this game. Unlike other subjects, math can be learned via Minecraft in best ways. Measurement, Shape and Number can be used with purpose in World Builders like Minecraft. Area, Perimeter, Volume become more authentic when students are applying knowledge through building and construction tasks. Integrating Minecraft along with lesson plans from this very subject would be a great experience for kids as it will give them a chance to have comprehensive knowledge of subjects.
4. Teaches Planning
Although the game has no specific goals but players are rewarded when they complete certain tasks. This forces them to identify their own goal, develop a plan to best achieve it, and self-motivate to accomplish it. Building self-regulation skills like these will help students to understand how they have to complete tasks without help and constant reminders in real life. Minecraft encourages children to come up with solutions to the problems they will encounter. There are problems such as zombie attacks and scarcity of food that children will have to deal with.
Resources that will help Educators use Minecraft in Classrooms:
Minecraft in The Modern Classroom: Reading, Logic, Simulation, and More
Ideas for Using Minecraft in the Classroom
Teachers! Learn How to Use Minecraft as an Educational Game
“We are all born creative. We just got it educated out of us.”
This famous quote defines how creativity is drained out of youngsters in order to provide them with the education. Games like Minecraft is a fresh way to teach kids and help them enhance not just their academia but their creative thinking, and other skill set that would help them grow in life without having to alter on their creative heads.
What’s your take on the use of Minecraft in education? Share with us in the comment section below.
