The secret of Minecraft — The Message
This wouldn’t be enough on its own. Obscure techniques have been a part of video games from the beginning; Nintendo Power surely had a dusting of secret knowledge. What’s different here is that Minecraft connects this lure to the objective not of beating the game, but making more of the game. “Game” doesn’t even do it justice. Five years in, Minecraft (the system) has bloomed into something bigger and more beautiful than any game studio — whether a tiny one like Markus Persson’s or a huge one like EA — could ever produce on its own. Turns out you can do a lot with those blocks. We’re in a new century now, and its hallmark is networked humans doing things together, mostly on screens, at scales unimaginable in earlier times. In the 2010s and beyond, it is not the case that every cultural product ought to be a generative, networked system. It is, I believe, the case that all the really important ones will be. It’s made of blocks, I suppose.
Minecraft homeschool: Incredible educational Minecraft inspiration from all over - Mankato Homeschooling
Do your kids love Minecraft? Why not take advantage of that and use Minecraft to help teach history, science, language arts and more? There are dozens of wonderful sites on the internet designed to help parents and teachers use Minecraft to teach kids. Here's some of the best. Getting Started in Minecraft: From Zero to Punching Wood Here's the basics on how to buy, install and play Minecraft. MinecraftEdu This educator's site is focused on helping teachers use Minecraft in their classrooms. Note: as of this time, homeschoolers are not eligible for the discounted educator rate on Minecraft through MinecraftEdu. jokaydia Minecrafts jokaydia Minecrafts is the newest project within the jokaydian suite of tools, and provides a game-based learning environment for kids. This extensive site is dedicated to "playful learning" and hosts lots of ideas and resources. Minecraft Teachers on Google Groups This is an active discussion board for asking questions and sharing ideas. Gaming Educators Craft Academy
Using Minecraft in Your Art Curriculum
The following is a guest post written by Bo Gorcesky, a Middle school Media Arts teacher passionate about sharing educational technology findings. Once an independent filmmaker, Bo now touches lives with technology. Minecraft is a $7 app that I use with a class set of iPads during my media arts class. (There is also a free version, but you can’t save on it.) If you don’t have access to iPads, Minecraft Edu is another option. When I first started using Minecraft, I had no idea what this game was all about or why it was so addicting to my students. Getting Started: Since I was new to Minecraft, I asked a few students to lead class demonstrations. Minecraft Project #1: Convert a drawing to a Minecraft I started off the project with my students creating a grid drawing on Drawcast. Minecraft project #2: Connect architecture with other subject areas Minecraft project #3: Play together using virtual structures built by students Want to try Minecraft in your art curriculum?
A Beginner’s Guide to Minecraft in an Elementary Classroom | Wayfaring Path
“What’s it called again, Craftmine?” I wondered aloud with a confused look on my face to a classroom full of nine year olds, playing dumb the whole time. “It’s MINECRAFT!” they all yelled back in unison, smiling and laughing at how out-of-touch their teacher was with their world. The truth was, however, that I was playing them from the day I first mentioned any knowledge of Minecraft’s existence. The seed had been planted and the path I was about to lead them down had begun. The Research Phase: The impetus for experimenting with MinecraftEdu in my class started three months prior, as I set myself up for a task that I thought would be challenging, but manageable. Wayfaringpath Photography For months before uttering the word Minecraft in front of my students, I had been searching for anything related to Minecraft to give me some background knowledge with the game, as I had none. I had finally found a landscape and biome that was close enough to my vision that I was happy moving on.
Could Minecraft Be the Hook to Get Girls Interested in Coding?
Teaching Strategies As coding becomes the lingua franca of the future, girls are still hesitant to embrace it. Last year, only 18.5 percent of those who took the AP computer science test were girls, a slight drop from the previous year. The gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math fields has many educators worried, but those working with young coders say games could be an effective way to spark girls’ interest. In a New York Times op-ed Nitasha Tiku writes that Minecraft, in particular, has made it to the mainstream. “A hundred students were on ThoughtSTEM’s waiting list for its first Minecraft class two months ago. Related Explore: coding, Minecraft
Minecraft's virtual worlds can teach real U.S. history
Minecraft’s virtual worlds can teach real U.S. history Taylorsville » Minecraft explorers worldwide excavate sand to smelt into glass, diamonds to hone into swords and redstone to power millions of digital creations. Amber Palmer’s fifth-graders visit the Minecraft universe to dig into U.S. history. Airing Thursday o Five Utah teachers have been selected for KUED-The Salt Lake Tribune Teacher Innovation Awards, which celebrate their creative use of technology in classrooms. The awards were given in the categories of arts, math, language arts, science and social studies. The winners are being profiled in a continuing Tribune series this week and in a half-hour documentary airing Thursday at 7 p.m. on KUED-Channel 7. TribTalk: Celebrating innovation As digital devices increasingly appear in Utah classrooms, the challenge is using them effectively in teaching. You can join the discussion by sending questions and comments to the hashtag #TribTalk on Twitter and Google+. story continues below
5 Minecraft Facts You Didn't Know
Minecraft might be the most important and influential indie of all time, but how much do you really know about this blockbuster video game? (See what we did there?) We've assembled five fresh facts for you to build your knowledge of the sandbox smash hit. Special thanks to the hilarious Wil Wheaton (hallowed be thy name) for keeping an eye on the #5facts team for this episode. The Wil Wheaton Project premieres on Syfy on May 27 at 10 ET. It's like Talk Soup for geeks! If you'd like to build your knowledge further (and have fun at the same time), subscribe to 5facts on YouTube for a new video every week. 1. In the very early days, developer Markus "Notch" Persson referred to the humble sandbox builder as "Cave Game," but later changed it to Minecraft. 2. The government of Denmark recreated its entire nation, block-for-block, in Minecraft to get kids excited about geography. 3. The Creeper is based on a pig model gone horribly wrong. 4. 5. One man is trying.
Minecraft's potential in today's classrooms
Gaming, including Minecraft, has important implications for students Gaming is gaining more and more momentum in education, and one of the most popular games today is Minecraft, which educators are using in innovative ways in classrooms across the country. Minecraft is a “sandbox” game that includes game-like components but offers users flexibility to build the game in any way they desire. The game offers different modes and approaches and is highly modifiable and flexible. Though the game itself is popular, using it in classrooms based only on its popularity won’t work magic on students. But following best practices and a few important rules can help increase student engagement, said Marianne Malmstrom, cognitive architect at The Elisabeth Morrow School (N.J.). (Next page: Minecraft’s potential for learning)
