STEAM Integration with Minecraft

Description

Minecraft: Education Edition empowers educators and students to engage in student-centered, collaborative, and global environments. Through this course, participants will see the various ways that Minecraft lends itself to embedding multiple STEAM elements across disciplines. This course shares tips, advice, and resources for educators who are new to Minecraft, or those who need a refresher on controls, crafting, and basics of the game.

Learning Objectives

  • analyze ways to implement STEAM through Minecraft: Education Edition
  • identify best practices for integrating Minecraft: Education Edition with current curriculum
  • recognize techniques to differentiate learning experiences with Minecraft: Education Edition

Professional Journal

Do your students possibly know more than you do about Minecraft? That's ok. Even at the end of this course, they might still know more about it than you. Teachers do not have to be the absolute experts to have success using Minecraft: Education Edition. Teachers might grow just as much as students when they play, craft, and learn together.

As you discover more about Minecraft: Education Edition, you might benefit from having a place to take notes, reflect, copy links, and keep track of any inspirational ideas.

Right now, before you begin the content for this course, go to Word Online, or create a notebook in OneNote for your own learning. As you try Minecraft with your students, keep adding notes about what works well and what you might try in a different way the next time. Include this link for the Minecraft: Education Edition knowledge base as a reference if you ever need more detail about the features shared in this course.

Resources

Learn more about OneNote

Module 1: Minecraft: Education Edition and STEAM

Minecraft is a versatile tool that can be used with all ages and in every discipline. In this module, you will learn how Minecraft: Education Edition can be used to create project-based lessons that incorporate STEAM elements.

Module 2: Using Minecraft to integrate science concepts into courses

Minecraft: Education Edition takes science students beyond the limitations of tri-fold boards and Styrofoam models and immerses them in hands-on, interactive virtual environments. In this module, you will learn how the traditional "create a model of a cell" project is transformed into a highly interactive project using Minecraft.

Reflection

Are there already elements of STEAM in your current educational practice? How would a Minecraft project such as making a model of a cell change the dynamic of learning for your students?

Module 3: Using Minecraft to integrate technology concepts into your courses

One of Minecraft: Education Edition's greatest strengths is its use as a modelling tool to test experiments, demonstrate real-world concepts, or build machines. In this module, you will learn how students can build Rube Goldberg machines within Minecraft without the limitation of physical supplies.

Module 4: Using Minecraft to integrate engineering concepts into courses

Minecraft: Education Edition is a wonderful way to teach engineering skills without the need for expensive tools like CAD software. In this module, you will learn how students can use Minecraft to plan, design, and collaborate with others to create a challenging maze for a theme park or cornfield.

Reflection

What learning objectives might be met for students if they build a Rube Goldberg machine? How might the elements of STEAM be represented for students if they created a maze in Minecraft?

Module 5: Using Minecraft to integrate art concepts into your courses

Minecraft: Education Edition can be leveraged by students as an artistic medium to create works of art that they couldn't otherwise create due to limitations of supplies, time, and space. In this module, you will learn how students can use Minecraft to create a piece of art that symbolizes the spirit of their communities.

Module 6: Using Minecraft to integrate math concepts into your courses

Minecraft: Education Edition can help teachers bring even the most elusive concepts to life for students. In this module, you will learn how students can gain a better understanding of geometric measurements by using Minecraft.

Reflection

A Minecraft project like the creation of a community symbol fosters a student's artistic capabilities while also providing growth with their mathematical thinking. What buildings, structures, or art in our world today contain a creative visual element as well as mathematical or engineering element? Start making a list of examples that you could refer to later. Is there one that connects to a time in history or a piece of literature in your current curriculum?

Module 7: Using Minecraft to create problem-based learning that incorporates two or more STEAM concepts

Using Minecraft: Education Edition as a tool for problem-based learning gives your students an entire digital world to solve real world, authentic problems. In this module, you will learn how you can use Minecraft to create real world, authentic problems for your students to solve.

Module 8: Techniques for differentiated instruction within your Minecraft learning environment

Differentiated instruction is a method of designing and delivering instruction to best reach each student. In this module, you will learn various techniques for differentiated instruction within Minecraft: Education Edition.

Reflection

Take a moment to reflect about some of the real-world applications for a learning concept. What do students need to understand about this topic so that they can be competent in solving today's problems? Can you think of a problem that could be solved in multiple ways, yet still emphasize the same learning objectives for all? In what ways can Minecraft: Education Edition be set up to differentiate instruction for various learners?

Course Resources

Source

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