Minecraft Education
Minecraft Education is a game-based learning platform that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive digital environment. From mathematics to SEL, the world-building features in Minecraft allow educators and learners to approach learning through play.
What is Minecraft to learners?
- A sandbox creation space where imaginations are translated to reality as learners build worlds with interactive features
- A game-based learning environment that is also collaborative, allowing learners to build alongside their peers and explore each other’s worlds
What is Minecraft to educators?
- A simple and straightforward online game-based world builder where learners either build from scratch or engage in the thousands of existing online worlds and built-in activities in the Minecraft Education environment
- An open-ended source for project-based learning with a low floor and high ceiling, allowing learners to externalize their learning by building interactive worlds
- A repository of standards-aligned lesson plans for everything from science to social-emotional learning, whether engaged with during class time or remotely, outside of class
SEL and the class
Using Minecraft Education supports the development of two CASEL competencies.
Social-awareness
- Exploring worlds made by others across the globe enhance learners’ ability to perceive multiple definitions of "reality," depending on the world-builder’s worldview.
- Learners encounter a multitude of homes, environments, problems, and solutions by externalizing their own perception of the world and internalizing others’ perceptions.
Relationship skills
- Learners build essential teamwork and communication skills as they world-build together.
- Learners build trust in each other as they collaborate on and respect each other’s ideas and creations.
“Educators can leverage digital environments to provide learners safe rehearsal spaces to explore identity and learn to make responsible decisions. For example, by having learners learn how to accommodate the needs of others when creating worlds in Minecraft, educators can find opportunities to develop deeper emotional literacy and introduce strategies to resolve challenges or understand perspectives.”
from The class of 2030 and life-ready learning research study
Explore it
There are numerous resources to get up-and-running with Minecraft Education for teaching and learning, and the best news is that one or two of your learners are likely already proficient. Consider surveying your learners to find who is a helpful copilot.
Access Minecraft Education to get started.
- Get Started with Minecraft: Complete this module to learn more about Minecraft Education, experiencing it as a learner and learning how to facilitate its use as a leader.
- Minecraft Education in the Class: Access this short video where educators discuss about using Minecraft to transform class learning.
- Social Emotional Learning with Minecraft: These worlds and activities support social and emotional learning. Concepts include emotional well-being, empathy, and making responsible decisions.
Ready for more Minecraft connections to SEL? These options provide something to pique each learner’s interest, as well as engaging them as a SEL learner.
Check out one, or a few, of the following resources to explore now or at a future time. Which lesson plan complements a unit, lesson, or activity?
This lesson asks learners to explore self-awareness, coping skills, and social management through a fun medieval adventure. Give your learners the chance to become a mindful knight and practice using their SEL skills.
Developed in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, this science lesson plan asks learners to explore a world of extinct species to collaborate around the current biodiversity crisis. Elevate empathy and social awareness with this timely activity.
In this 20–30-minute lesson, investigate a shipwreck and write a narrative about how this ship ended up in this condition. Imagine: Who was on this ship? Where was the ship headed? Learners write the narrative from the point of view of someone on the ship itself.
Reflect
Review your takeaways and learnings about how Minecraft Education in the class. Go back over your module graphic organizer and note any ideas you have for implementation and resources you’d like to come back to. Use these questions to help you reflect on your own practice and ideas.
- What existing units/lessons are enhanced by Minecraft Education?
- What opportunities exist in the current curriculum to provide learners who play Minecraft the chance to use it as a platform for learning and creating?
- In what ways do learners benefit from increased collaboration, trust, and teamwork within a game-based environment?