Minecraft

You may know the game Minecraft...It’s a popular video game. But did you also know that it’s also becoming popular in the classroom?

Today I’m going to be talking to you about the benefits of students using Minecraft for learning in schools and the educational value. For those of you that don’t know, Minecraft is a "sandbox" game where players explore, craft and build their own world which is based on real world skills. According to an article, LEARNING THROUGH GAMING, Minecraft is one of the highest selling video games in history. An extension to minecraft is Mindcraft Edu, which is an educational version of Minecraft. It can be used for many different subjects and even multiple subjects at the same time. I believe incorporating Minecraft into the classroom is important because some people like to learn using a more hands-on technique and this approach can also be good for people with different learning abilities.

One of the many positive benefits of having Minecraft in the classroom is increasing student creativity. It allows students to be creative in ways not possible in the real world or with a regular textbook. Some researchers say that you don’t need a computer game to learn creativity and that students should get outside and learn from nature. While this is true, an article in “The Conversation” showed that videogames can add another element of learning as schools in America and Sweden have been using Minecraft Edu in their curriculum for the past several years. Additionally, it is being used all around the world to teach science, urban planning and even foreign languages. Students have used their creativity to build, design and create amazing building structures and even working machines. Minecraft can be used to enhance real life skills.

Another positive benefit of using Minecraft in the classroom is improving problem-solving skills. An article in Education News states that Minecraft “inspires students higher level and critical thinking” . An example of problem solving is in a mode called survival which forces the player to defend against “monsters” and survive by creating tools and shelter and gathering food. There are also things called modifications (Mod for short) which are add-ons which you can play with over 48,000 variations. A game designer, who designed an educational themed Minecraft game that reflects the Maori culture, said that they wanted the student learning to be organic , being able to explore all elements, because “nothing in our lives exists in isolation”. We want students to figure things out and see how they fit into the whole world.

The last positive benefit of Minecraft in schools that I will discuss is how it can improve self-direction skills. Students must use self-direction within the game because there really is no way to win. There is no overall quest or plot. Players must make choices and decide their own path within the game and what they want to build and do. This independence builds self confidence and lets students feel they are in charge of their own fate. This encourages independence in young people so that they can utilise this in the ‘real world’.

Now, lots of research has shown that videogames, such as Minecraft, can be very addictive and parents have trouble getting their kids to stop playing to do other things. I feel that, just like anything else, Minecraft is fine in moderation and if balanced with other non screen activities.

In closing, Minecraft has many positive ways to add to student learning. A humanities teacher at Numurkah Secondary School named Fiona Carruthers, sums it up well, “ We live in a world where there are loads of interactive material and students are using more and more technology. So why not include this into the classroom, especially if it is engaging them to learn?” This is my point exactly.

Thank you for listening.

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