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Minecraft in the Classroom

https://sites.google.com/site/zoeatmilken/

This presentation will:

go through the basics of Minecraft and MinecraftEDU
Minecraft and Online Safety - What kids are doing without the adults...
Minecraft and Parent Information
strategies to use Minecraft in small and larger groups
Minecraft works on different devices
connect Minecraft with other Tools (recording Minecraft, saving worlds on Minecraft, using simple screenshot techniques to assess work in Minecraft)
share resources that focus on Minecraft

Zoe Branigan-Pipe

@zbpipe

http://pipedreams-education.ca

Teacher for Enrichment and Gifted - Hamilton, Ontario

Pre-Service Education Instructor - Brock University

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What is it??

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What is it??

Sandbox Game
Virtual Lego
Manipulatives
Social Network
Collaborative Space

Drama
Role Play
3D Model
Re-create
Explore
Adventure
Science

Creativity*Autonomy*choice*freedom*open-ended*differentiated

storytelling *making history come alive *inventions*city planning

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MinecraftEDU vs Minecraft

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How Can MINECRAFT TEACH?

OR

WHAT CAN MINECRAFT TEACH?

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How to Play….

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TOOLS and DEVICES

iTunes Store
Google Play
Android
Online /Offline
Single Player
Multiplayer

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http://minecraftedu.com/resources

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GETTING STARTED…

http://services.minecraftedu.com/wiki/Getting_started

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REALITY.

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MINECRAFT SERVER - WHAT IS THAT?

It is very EASY to run and moderate a server in Minecraft. Anyone can do it. Even the most NOVICE minecraft user can host a server in Minecraft EDU
Here, there are MANY worlds in which you can download and explore with your students. Once they are downloaded, students can EDIT, ADD, and CHANGE anything!

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SERVERS… http://minecraftservers.org/

PVP = Player vs. Player (the point is to kill and survive)
Survival Mode = Must “mine”, hunt or kill for supplies
Creative Mode = Supplies are unlimited

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Discuss and Post Expectations

Discuss and Post Expectations:

Create an Agreement with Students and have each of them sign it (I will use Minecraft respectfully at school...I will not destroy others work...I will use the ‘talk’ feature to ask help...I will listen to others...I will use pro-active and responsible problem solving strategies…)

Do not punish students by taking away Minecraft from the entire class. Instead give time outs. Treat this like any tool or activity in the classroom. There are many manipulatives and resources within the game so you do not want to “ban” students from access.

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KNOW IT….PLAY IT...get an account.

Get an account by going to: https://minecraft.net/ → This is not MinecraftEDU. This is the standard version. This is the version that your student play.
Get a Minecraft EDU account when you are ready. There are many resources and instructional videos on how to get started. The beauty of Minecraft EDU is that students DO NOT need an account to use Minecraft.

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Communicate with Parents/Community

Help parents & community understand the nature of Minecraft
Debunk the myths about Play
Relate learning to THINKING & COMMUNICATION
Talk about Problem Solving, Decision Making and Collaboration
Host a Minecraft Community Event (By students)
Provide suggestions on how parents can LIMIT the use of Minecraft - but talk about BALANCE
This can be frightening and unnerving. Creativity can be addictive

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ComputerCraftEdu is a streamlined version of ComputerCraft designed for use in learning and education, to teach the next generation of programmers how to code.

The two main features of the mod are “Beginner’s Turtles” and the “Turtle Remote”, which provide a powerful new visual way to program ComputerCraft Turtles and learn the fundamentals of programming.

http://www.computercraft.info/

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IMPACT GUIDES...TUTORIALS AND LESSONS

http://gamesandimpact.org/impact-guides/

These guides provide players, parents and teachers with tools, knowledge and challenges to hep them understand the role of play and learning

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Connect with Other Tools

ASSESSMENT:

At the end of each session or project, have student (s) share an image of what they have created in Minecraft.

“printscreen”
“Jing” (https://www.techsmith.com/jing.html )

Create a shared collaborative (shared) Google Presentation

An online bulletin board!

Students can also use Minecraft to share stories and create podcasts.

Use a program such as Fraps and allows tudents can record and explain their work in Minecraft and then upload it onto the classroom

Use a Green Screen and encourage students to create and record in different ways

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Lesson Library

http://makersfactory.com/makersfactory-3d-learning/gbl-cube/gbl-lessons/

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Always have a back-up Plan

Be prepared for network issues, computer issues or other technical issues

A big part of the “fun” in Minecraft is designing and planning. Provide graph paper to students and have them co-create a “space” in Minecraft that focuses on a particular theme or activity.

Create a “Physical” Minecraft space in the classroom, where students can see their designs as they come to life in the “Virtual” world.

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Be Present

Always be Present, Aware and in “Moderator”mode while Students are in Minecraft:

Treat the Minecraft space the same as you do the physical classroom space. This means, do not ever leave the class (in Minecraft) unattended and be aware of what students are doing in the game.
If you have students that require a little extra supervision or tend to be impulsive, spend more time in the game with them (use the teleport function
Be aware that if you use Minecraft unsupervised (ie: students on the game during lunch, recess, or during class), there are spaces and functions within the game that might not be safe, just like any online collaborative social media platform.

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NOT ON IT’S OWN…

*infused with inquiry

*Many tools

*many subjects/disciplines

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OUR IDEAL CITY ACTIVITY

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t9bSKbj5eJkvVTMnvDibGMVtNWYsLtJbHj_CL2tTvSw/edit#slide=id.g3428d81a3_160

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OUR FRACTALS ACTIVY

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OUR INVENTIONS

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SOLVING REAL WORLD PROBLEMS...

UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS…

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1u3fFgGMqZnQqpO0EJ8D7cL6rcburaV3zd0v25RtcGLk/edit#slide=id.p

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Minecraft and Fractions

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Math….Multiplication

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Volume Prisms and Pyramids

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“BE PROUD TO BE A MINECRAFT TEACHER”

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WHAT IF??

As an EDUCATOR, you could use an UNLIMITED amount of LEGO, ROBOTICS, and BUILDING SUPPLIES to teach math, science, engineering, art and language?

Your students could use SOCIAL MEDIA to design, chat, collaborate and co-create GLOBALLY?

What if this UNLIMITED amount of SUPPLIES engaged the most UNENGAGED student? Inspired the NON-READER to READ? MOTIVATED the UNMOTIVATED to inquire, problem solve, discover?

Minecraft is a limitless tool. It is you that can make it work.

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How are cities changing in the 21st Century?

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Our idea is simple.

Natural Playground.

But ours, won't only be a playground. No!

We will have a pool, and ice rink, cafe, treehouse, craft house and more!

Our Idea!

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Urban Planning

Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds!

http://www.naturalplaygrounds.ca/

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Design

Important Design Aspects

Functionality
Iconic
Accommodating
Simple to Navigate
Technologically advanced
Space Maximization
Space for work and Free Time
Open Concept
Comfortable Living Quarters
Unique

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Design School

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Know it yourself. Get an account.

Get an account by going to: https://minecraft.net/ → This is not MinecraftEDU. This is the standard version. This is the version that your student play.
Get a Minecraft EDU account when you are ready. There are many resources and instructional videos on how to get started. The beauty of Minecraft EDU is that students DO NOT need an account to use Minecraft.
It is very EASY to run and moderate a server in Minecraft. Anyone can do it. Even the most NOVICE minecraft user can host a server in Minecraft EDU. Here, there are MANY worlds in which you can download and explore with your students. Once they are downloaded, students can EDIT, ADD, and CHANGE anything!

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Tate Worlds

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INQUIRY model

Reflection

What worked or didn’t, How do we know we learned

Big Idea (Developed based on Curriculum):

How do Symbols in History help to understand ourselves?
How are cities changing in the 21st Century to be more sustainable?

Background Information, Discussion and Short lesson on Topic (Wet the appetite)

Short Video, Small group activity/exploration, Game, Quiz,

Questioning/Exploring further

Thinking, Provoking ideas, Inspiring further thought
Use a Collaborative Google Doc to create Questions based in the different topic areas. Link Example

Small Group, Individual Learning Task (Based on Inquiry)

Debate, Blog, Interactive/Collaborative book, Video, Design, Minecraft Activity

Culminating Presentation and Sharing

Accountability, Assessment, add something to a shared resource (screenshot)

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For Example:

The Wall Inquiry

Big Idea:

How do Symbols in History help to understand ourselves?

How do lessons in history serve as metaphors to help understand and make meaning in own life?

What walls or barriers, concrete or abstract, are faced by our own citizens and how does this connect back to Berlin?

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Connect with Other Tools

At the end of each session or project, have student (s) share an image of what they have created in Minecraft.

“printscreen”
“Jing”

Create a shared collaborative (shared) Google Presentation

An online bulletin board!

Students can also use Minecraft to share stories and create podcasts.

Use a program such as Fraps and allows tudents can record and explain their work in Minecraft and then upload it onto the classroom

Use a Green Screen and encourage students to create and record in different ways

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FRAPS….?

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Questions: LINK

What can patterns in the natural

world tell us about environment?

Our Book: LINK

For Example:

The Fractal Inquiry

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Minecraft Pink Day

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Two Roads diverged in a Yellow wood,

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How do we take control and ownership of our own Learning?

Can our voice and action impact our learning opportunities?

How does our behaviour toward others, including our relationships impact learning?

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Source: http://www.winstudent.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/aa-Colorado-River.jpg

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What considerations need to take place in order to build a dam as a way to create a lake (reservoir) and provide irrigation and electricity as a way to build and expand cities?

Hoover….