Moving at the Speed of Creativity by Wesley Fryer

Students & Teachers Explain Benefits of MinecraftEDU [VIDEO]

Thanks to this post last week by Joel Soloman (@mole555) in the “Minecraft Teachers Google Group” I saw this excellent 7.5 minute video featuring interviews with both students and teachers, explaining the benefits of using MinecraftEDU in school. Check it out! This week I am introducing my STEM students to MinecraftEDU in a two part lesson, so this is timely. I’ve added it to my main MinecraftEDU STEM curriculum resource page.

As the teachers explain in the video, MinecraftEDU is wonderful to use at school for a wide variety of reasons. At a basic level, playing MinecraftEDU and participating in “Minecraft challenges” in our classroom Maker Studio helps students develop basic digital literacy skills (like using both the right mouse button as well as the left) as well as problem solving skills. Mouse skills may seem like “too elementary” to be a skill focus, but I guarantee you it’s a novel concept (along with using the SHIFT key instead of CAPS LOCK) for many of my 4th and 5th graders. The engaging and complex environment of MinecraftEDU provides a great context for multiple discussions and learning moments with students. As the video also says, many of these focus on “digital citizenship,” which is SO important for students today.

MinecraftEDU Screenshot by Wesley Fryer, on Flickr
Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License   by  Wesley Fryer 

This video is also a great example of a “quick edit video!” Excellent use of subtitles. If you’re interested in learning about creating Quick Edit Videos with iPads, join me for a session of my 3 day iPad Media Camp this summer. I’ll be posting dates, locations, and registration links soon! (By the end of February) Also plan join Amy Loeffelholz and I the first week of June for STEM Seeds PD Camp, which will also be a 3 day event. Those registration links are coming soon as well!

Quick Edit Video by Wesley Fryer, on Flickr
Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License   by  Wesley Fryer 

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One response to “Students & Teachers Explain Benefits of MinecraftEDU [VIDEO]”

  1. Mole555 Avatar
    Mole555

    Thank you, Wes. for taking the time to share this video. I have lots of examples of how our students are using Minecraft EDU on my YouTube Channel, if anyone is interested: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkiPS81YKVcwAi2Mz1rhe0oIUoPwhvQuf