This week, we revisited games based learning but this time focusing on the game Minecraft as a stimulus for learning. “Minecraft is a world wide phenomenon. Since it was first released in 2011, its been taken to the heart of thousands of gamers” (How to do Everything in Minecraft, 2014, Magbook).  As a parent of primary school aged children, I understood how popular Minecraft was in a social setting for children but never imagined it could be used within the classroom.  As Ofcom states “gaming is hugely popular in the UK with almost 86% of 5-7 year old children and 90% of 8-11 year old children using game devices regularly”. If we can incorporate some of the games that children are using at home into their learning, we can make strong links between home and school life.

As I have had experience of watching my own children using Minecraft, I naively thought that I would be able to play the game with ease. We were directed towards some online tutorials for the game and I quickly realised that there is so much more to this game than I thought. It is important to remember that if used in the classroom it is the teachers knowledge of how to incorporate the game into learning that is crucial rather than their own personal knowledge of playing the game. This is confirmed by Beauchamp who states “Achieving particular educational objectives through the use of the game was more dependent upon a teacher’s knowledge of the curriculum with which they were working than it was on their ability with the game.”

Today we were visited by a group of pupils and their teacher from a nearby primary school to tell us how they incorporate the use of Minecraft into their learning. The children came equipped with IPads that had Minecraft installed. For the first part of our session with the children, they showed us how to play the game. I was amazed at how quickly the children can build their own communities in this game. A lot of thought and planning goes into each section they want to build. The children we were working with could do this instantly! For the second part of the session the Ipads were handed over to us and the children became the teacher.  It was clear to see the children’s frustration when we couldn’t grasp simple instructions but they did a great job of teaching us how to create worlds within minecraft!

 

Having the opportunity to speak to the teacher, she explained some of the areas that Minecraft is used in the classroom. An example would be to use it as a stimulus in topic work. This can be anything from Titanic to the Ancient Egyptians. Children can use Minecraft to build a world based on this era, either individually or working as a group. This could then be followed up with a literacy lesson with the children writing a story based on their Minecraft creation. Children could also present to the class showcasing their Minecraft world. A lesson like this would cover the following Expectations and Outcomes for Curriculum for Excellence (Scottish Government 2004):

• I enjoy creating texts of my choice and I regularly select subject, purpose, format and resources to suit the needs of my audience. LIT 1-20a/LIT2-20a
• I can convey information, describe events, explain processes or combine ideas in different ways LIT 2-28a
• When listening and talking with others for different purposes, I can:
  • share information, experiences and opinions
  • explain processes and ideas
  • identify issues raised and summarise main points or findings
  • clarify points by asking questions or by asking others to say more     LIT 2-09a
• I can create, capture and manipulate sounds, text and images to communicate experiences, ideas and information in creative and engaging ways.  TCH 1-04b/TCH 2-04b

There are many reasons for using games based learning in the classroom and it is something that I will certainly use in my future career. By using games as a stimulus it can instil confidence into the child who normally lacks confidence when faced with a literacy task. The same can be said for presentations. As an adult I feel much more confident when presenting information that I am confident with. If we can use a game that a child is confident with as a foundation for their presentation they will show their enthusiasm when conveying information to others. This week has again opened my eyes to games based learning. Rather than being used to fill gaps in a day or to reward children it can be used as a solid stimulus for learning.

 

REFERENCE LIST

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy top Practice. Pearson.

Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes, Ofcom (2001). [Online] Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education  [Accessed:] 24th March 2018

MagBook (2014) How to Do Everything in Minecraft

Pixabay.com. (2018). Free Images – Pixabay. [Online] Available at: https://pixabay.com [Accessed]: 08 April 2018

Scottish Executive (2004) Curriculum for Excellence. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive