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A Minecraft modification that teaches players team work and problem solving through a fun and engaging environment

A Minecraft modification that teaches players team work and problem solving through a fun and engaging environment

Vote: (276 votes)

Program license: Trial version

Developer: Mojang

Version: 1.18.45.0

Works under: Windows

Also available for Android

Vote:

Program license

(276 votes)

Trial version

Developer

Version

Mojang

1.18.45.0

Works under:

Also available for

Windows

Android

Minecraft Education Edition takes one of the most popular video games in the world and packs it in with features that make it an appropriate learning tool for the classroom. It's impossible to understand the cultural impact of Minecraft in the past years. Despite its simplistic and blocky graphics, it offers one of the most imaginative and creatively rewarding virtual worlds around by taking the fundamental creative application of LEGOs and applying them to a setting with limitless potential. Players throughout the world have used the Minecraft platform to create some stunningly imaginative landscapes and engineering feats, and Education Edition draws from those types of accomplishments to create a more focused experience that teachers and students alike will love.

What's so refreshing about the Education Edition is how limitless it really is. Lessons are available for students ranging from age 3 to college age, and the amount of fields that this platform can cover are virtually limitless. It accomplishes this broad purview by focusing on mods rather than focusing exclusively what's in the core game. These modules can be easily installed on your local server and be used as an interactive lesson plan for your students.

And the application of possibilities here is pretty impressive. Looking to walk your students through a tour of a virtual natural history museum? You'll find that here. Or maybe you're looking to teach the fundamentals of music theory and coding at the same time. There are a ton of projects on that front ranging from basic introductions to incredibly complex applications. Since the limitations of what can be done in Minecraft are only caged in by the imagination, practically any classroom should find something that suits their lesson plans here. And intrepid teachers that can't find something appropriate can design their own modules and share them with the community. The open source but curated community means there's a constant influx of materials that are carefully vetted by moderators to make sure that they're appropriate for the classroom.

Included with Minecraft Education Edition are a variety of different tools unique to the needs of the classroom. One big part of the Minecraft experience is its collaborative nature, and the Education Edition's server design allows all of the students in your classroom to engage directly with one another while keeping them safe from outsiders. In furtherance of that collaborative approach are a number of tools that let students share their discoveries and work together on given projects. Work can be documented within the Minecraft interface and then shared in presentations outside of the client to bridge the gap between the real world and the virtual world. And Minecraft Education Edition is meticulously documented to make sure that students have access to all the resources they need before frustration sets in.

Pros:

+ Retains the wide open gameplay of Minecraft

+ Tons of collaborative tools built right in

+ Supported by a vast library of modules

Cons:

+ Creating your own modules requires some work

+ More limited than the traditional Minecraft experience