February 23, 2024
When it comes to teaching, it is important to train ourselves to shift from what is common to what is valuable. One can discover many alternatives to traditional learning methods that benefit both the teacher and the student. It leads to improvements in social proficiency, self-awareness, management, and overall decision making. To that end, Renton Prep uses Minecraft Education as a tool to help students learn and achieve new academic breakthroughs.
Introduced in 2009, Minecraft is a 3D, virtually generated video game. Players navigate life and learn to build cities while managing budgets. This alone teaches young students much about the real world, thus preparing them for issues they may face in the future. Minecraft Education also helps students learn to code, enhance geometry skills, and expand on creativity.
In today’s world, most students are already familiar with gaming and the skills that it comprises. In fact, some students have a higher capability of understanding and manipulating these gaming gadgets than most adults do. Also, incorporating Minecraft Education in the classroom provides a learning experience for teachers too!
How can these concepts be useful to students academically? They have a very influential impact on the mindset. For example, most problems in the real world will result in us losing hope or motivation. Minecraft Education allows students to view failure as a stepping stone to overcome any obstacle. Furthermore, introducing Minecraft to our classrooms has made problem-solving something our students look forward to.
Overall, Minecraft has a great effect on students. It is a resource that enhances their creativity, direction, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, it serves a huge role in collaboration. While students share their knowledge of the game with surrounding peers, educators are able to pick up the information and tactics that their students already know from playing outside of school. It all goes hand in hand with working together to achieve an intended goal.
The games in Minecraft Education include scenarios that help to augment communication and life-related decision making. Students build up their lifestyle through the game, taking those thought processes with them when it comes to the real world. Although technology is sometimes viewed as an impediment for communication, it actually encourages it. Students come together to discover solutions by building a modular approach.
As a technology-driven school, we open the doors that lead to educational enhancement. In 2018, students in the 6th and 7th grade participated in an Intercultural Minecraft Project with other students from Japan! The students created Minecraft worlds that exhibit Japanese landmarks using English block coding and JavaScript. Learn more about their work in this article.
“Minecraft creates opportunities for transformational learning experiences.”
Dr. Michelle Zimmerman
In addition, Vice President of Worldwide Education at Microsoft, Anthony Salcito, visited Renton Prep and spoke with students in 3rd and 10th grade. Working together with Minecraft, they used data and the housing market to design apartments, blueprints, buildings, write proposals, and engage in computer science.
Growth is evident when we accept new challenges. Rather than closing down opportunities, we must be open to receive them. With Minecraft Education, our school has learned so much about environmental and life skill sets. Renton Prep is always seeking for new ways to support our students academically. So, contact us today and visit our website to explore the opportunities we present at Renton Prep.
Stay informed with all the latest news at Renton Prep and Amazing Grace.
