An overview of Minecraft Education

  • 5 minutes

Minecraft Education is a game-based learning platform, derived from Minecraft and designed to facilitate the environmental, mechanical, and narrative elements of the game in a learning capacity. It assists educators in building STEM skills, unleashing creativity, and engaging students in collaboration and problem-solving. Minecraft helps educators meet students where they are and inspires deep, meaningful learning across subjects. Educators around the world use Minecraft Education to teach lessons, build STEM and social-emotional skills, and inspire project-based learning.

Screenshot of the Minecraft Education home page.

Minecraft Education also offers special features designed for educational use, including:

  • Assessment tools, such as a camera to take pictures of students' work
  • Classroom multiplayer to allow learners to work together in the immersive game environment
  • Ability to embed external resources, to scaffold the learning experience beyond the game

Minecraft Education is:

  • Inclusive: Provides something for all learners. You can personalize your game and use accessibility features within the game.
  • Collaborative: Provides opportunities for students to work together both online (in multiplayer mode) and offline with unplugged activities.
  • A teaching tool: Features various opportunities for learning to support the educational experience. Minecraft Education includes features specifically designed for the classroom such as Code Builder, assessment tools, resources links, and more.
  • Safe: Students can play in a secure environment by signing in with their school Microsoft 365 Education accounts. Students can only connect with other students from their tenant (same organization).
  • Content-rich: There are various subject kits in Minecraft Education featuring lessons, curriculum guides, and even Build Challenges!
  • Cross-platform: Available for Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Chromebook via Microsoft 365 Education and Microsoft 365, and mobile devices Android and iPhone.

If you're new to Minecraft Education and would like to know more, consider completing Minecraft 101: Craft a game-based learning classroom as it covers the basics of game play and how to host collaborative worlds.