These days, it seems like Minecraft is second-nature for many kids. The beauty of Minecraft lies in its sandbox structure–students can create anything, with limitless resources, and often their creations are astounding. Is it any wonder, then, that educators are incorporating the popular block-based game into their curriculum?
With a little creativity, educators can use Minecraft with history, math, writing and language arts, foreign language, and more.
And getting students active in Minecraft makes them more likely to participate and engage, because they’re having an impact on a virtual world shared by their peers.
During an ISTE 2017 session, Dr. Chris Haskell showed attendees how he and faculty at Boise State have created an expansive Minecraft virtual campus and how that virtual campus gives students a safe place to have fun, be creative and connect with others.
“Students love spaces they have a voice in, spaces they can contribute to,” Haskell said. “They want a space where they can belong–it’s that belonging that ties things together. Being a part of something that matters makes you much more likely to be successful.”
(Next page: 15 classroom uses for Minecraft)
