OLTD508

Assignment#4KarenHunter

LearningOutcomes/Content

Activity

ExploringandbuildinginanextremeenvironmentusingMinecraft.

Subject/Course

Grade6Science:ExplorationofExtremeEnvironmentsL.A.

EstimatedTimefor
Activity

4weeks

PrescribedLearning
Outcomes

1. Exploreobstaclesuniquetoexplorationofaspecific
extremeenvironment.
2. Assesstechnologiesusedforextremeenvironments.
3. Selectandusestrategiesduringreadingandviewingto
construct,monitor,andconfirmmeaning.

ActivityFocus

(Lessonplannedwith
theunderstandingthat
studentsarefamiliar
withusingMinecraft)

1. Studentswillbegiventhechoiceofauniqueextreme
environmentbiomeinMinecraftjournalactivitytofollow:
ocean,desert,tundra,orother
2. Studentswillbegivenachecklistofactivitiesto
accomplishintheirchosenbiomeastheydesignamodel
forsurvivalandexploration.Theywillalsobegivenabasic
craftingguideandaccesstotutorials.
createashelter/building
2+typesofstone&wood
2+roomsand2+floors
featuresyoudeemnecessarytosurvival
demonstrateaccesstofood
createafurnace
penanimalsfarming
showcookedfoodininventory
demonstrateexploration
mining
caves
studentchoice
3. Studentswillcreateascreencastdescribingindetailthe
developmentoftheirbiome.
Describeyourbiomeasyoufirstdiscoveredit.
Describethechangesyoumadeinordertosurvive.
Showhowyouexplored.
Describeanyproblems/obstaclesyouhadandhowyou
solvedthem.
4. Studentswillkeepexplorerjournalsandcompare/contrast
theirMinecraftbiomewiththeirownenvironment.

ComparisonofMinecraftandMinecraftEdu

MinecraftEduisbuiltonthesametechnologyasthecommercialeditionofMinecraftand
containsthesamegameplay,items,andgraphicsincludedbyMojang(WhatisMinecraftEdu,
2015).WhatsetsMinecraftEduapartisthatitincludesadditionalfeaturesthatmakeitan
excellentchoiceforclassroomuse.MinecraftEduisamodificationofMinecraft,andis
specificallydesignedtogiveteachersandstudentsmorerobustcontrolsandfeaturesto
enhancelearning(Levin,n.d.).Themostimportantstrengthofeachisthattheyallow
studentswonderfulcreativityandopenendedplay.Nothinghappenswithouttheplayers
decisionsurroundings,buildings,charactersandactions(Murray,n.d.).Playersstartwith
nothingandbuildtheirwaytotheirgoals.Playerslearnbydoing,failing,problemsolving,
andtryingagain(Murray,n.d.).

WhiletherearemanysimilaritiesbetweenMinecraftandMinecraftEdu,therearedifferences
aswell,andtheseimpactstudentsandteachers.Icreatedatableoutliningsomeofthese
prosandconsusingthefollowingsources:Sansing,2013,andGoogleGroups,2015.

Minecraft

MinecraftEdu

TeacherPros

Openendedplay
Teachersandstudents
playaspeers
Cangiveopenended
assignments
Sparksimagination
Teachesbroadlifeskills
Createsproblemsolving
opportunities

Moreteacherdirected
Easeofuseandsetup
Studentmoderationtools
Informationsignsandtools
Easytouseothermodsand
worlds
Abilitytoenable/disable
aspectsofthegame
Offlinefunctionality

Teacher
Cons

Studentswillhavedifferent
skilllevels
Access

Studentswillhavedifferentskill
levels
Access

StudentPros

Openendedplay
Morestudentdirected
Gameplaypossibilities
growwithplayersabilities
Collaboration

Allplayersplaythesame
versionofthegame,reducing
compatibilityissues.
Collaboration

StudentCons

Studentsarelargely
responsiblefortheirworlds
Maybeaddictive

Somemodificationscannotbe
usedbystudents
Mayrestrictcreativity
Maybeaddictive

DoactivitieswithinMinecraftsupporttheidentifiedlearningoutcomes?

Thepurposeofthelearningoutcomesforgradesix,EarthandSpaceScienceistohave
studentsbeabletoidentifythecharacteristicsofanextremeenvironmentaplacethat
humansdonotnaturallyinhabitbutchoosetoexplore.Italsorequiresstudentstoexplain
obstaclesuniquetoexploringspecificenvironments,andidentifytypesoftechnologiesor
equipmentusedinexploringtheenvironment.Inaclassroomsetting,Iwouldbeginby
researchingvariousextremeenvironmentswiththestudents.Theywouldbegivenmany
opportunitiestoobserveandlearnaboutavarietyofextremeenvironments.Havingbeen
frontloadedwiththeinformationandresourcestheyneed,Iwouldthengivestudentsthe
optionofaprojectwithintheunit.ThisiswhereIfeelthatMinecraftwouldfitwonderfully.

TheactivityIcreatedusingMinecrafttoexploreandbuildinanextremeenvironmentisa
creativeandfunwayforstudentstoachievethelearningoutcomes.Studentswouldbe
expectedtoidentifythecharacteristicsoftheextremeenvironment,andachievealistof
learningactivities.Theactivitieswouldbeopenendedenoughtoallowforcreativitybut
wouldalsoguidestudentstolearnmoreabouttheirchosenenvironment.Theywouldneedto
createshelter,findfood,andexploretheworldaroundthem.Minecraftalsoallowsfor
problemsolving.Toplayeffectively,studentsneedtounderstandwhatisoccurring,and
anticipatesolutions(Murray,n.d.).ThiswouldalsoeffectivelytieintoEnglishLanguageArts
outcomesincludingpredicting,visualizingandmakingconnectionsasthestudentskeep
explorerjournalsfortheactivity.

LookingatJamesPaulGeesPrinciplesonGaming,IbelieveMinecraftfitsverywellwithin
manyoftheprinciples,butforthepurposesofthisassignment,Iwillchoosetwo.The
ManipulationPrincipleallowsplayerstomanipulatetheirgameworldwithalotofpersonal
control(Gee,2013).Minecraftallowstheplayertomanipulatethegamedirectly,andsee
immediateresultsoftheiractions.Thisallowsfordeeperengagementinthelearningasthey
arerewardedfortakingrisksandstretchingthemselvesoutsideoftheircomfortzone(Oakley,
n.d.).Everythingthathappensrequiresadecisiononthepartoftheplayer,therefore,how
wellthoughtoutthosedecisionsareaffectstheoutcome(Murray,n.d.).Ialsobelieve
MinecraftfitswellwithinthePleasantlyFrustratingPrinciple,(Gee,2013),inwhichyouare
excitedaboutthechallenge,butdonotfeelstressbecauseyouhavethepleasureofknowing
itisachievable.Whenyoucanfindthatbalance,wherethechallengeexistsbutitis
attainable,itishighlymotivatingforstudents(Gee,2005).IbelieveMinecraftisanexcellent
exampleofbothoftheseprinciples.Studentshavegreatownershipoftheirworld,and
everythingthatexistsistherebecausetheycreatedit.Whenproblemsarise,theyhaveto
solvethem.Andifthegamebecomestooeasy,therearemanymodificationsandchanges
thatcanbemadetobringthechallengeback.

Minecraftwasnewtomebeforethisassignment.UntilnowIhadonlywatchedmychildren
andtheirfriendsfallunderitsspell.WhatIhavecometolearnisthatitisawonderfulspace
toexploreandlearn.Aswithanyeducationalgameintheclassroom,itwouldbeeasytofeel
limitedbyalackofknowledge.Thankfully,Minecraftcomeswithawonderfulcommunityof
playersandawealthofinformationtohelpyoubegin.Itwouldbeveryimportanttotake
sometimetoexploreandlearnthegamebeforeintroducingittostudents.Itwouldbeequally
importanttoexpectalearningcurveforthestudentsandallowtimeforthat(Murray,n.d.).I
wouldprovidetutorialsanddiscussiontimeforthestudentsandallowthemtogetintothe
gameprocessthroughexplorationwithoutneedingtobeexpertsinthegame(Klopfer,
Osterweil,&Salen,p34).Gamesusedintheclassroomshouldbeginwithshortplay
sessionstoallowtimeforsettingupandgettingstarted(Klopfer,Osterweil,&Salen,p50).
AccordingtoSandford,Ulicsak,Facer,&Rudd,(2006,p34),whiletheteachersfamiliarity
withthegameisnecessary,evenmoreimportantistheteachersgraspoftheareainwhich
theyareworking,andthegoalstheywishtoachieve.Itisveryimportanttobeclearinyour
goalsandexpectations,andwithinthisframework,allowthestudentstoconnecthowtheir
activitieswithinMinecraftmeetthelearningoutcomes.Ifthelearningoutcomesareidentified
andsharedwiththestudentsfromthestartitwillhelpdefinegoalsandassessment(Klopfer,
Osterweil,&Salen,p37).

Lastly,itisimportanttobeabletoindividualizetheassignmentandtakeintoaccountdifferent
abilities.WithintheMinecraftassignment,studentscouldstretchtheirimaginationsand
achievethechecklistascreativelyastheylike.Therecouldbewonderfulopportunitiesfor
peermentoringandtutorialhelp.Forthosewhoarestruggling,allowthemtoteamupwith
othersmoreadvancedsotheycanlearntogether.Theverynatureofhowopenended
Minecraftisallowsforstudentstolearnandprogressatapacethatworksforthem.Itisa
veryrichandstimulatinglearningenvironment,andIbelievecouldbeanexcellenttoolinthe
classroom.

LinktoScreencastofMinecraftbuild:

http://youtu.be/UhcIoiymZLE?hd=1


References

Gee,J.P.(2013).PrinciplesinGaming.[VideoFile].RetrievedApril2015from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aQAgAjTozk

Gee,J.P.(2005).Goodvideogamesandgoodlearning.RetrievedApril2015from
http://www.skatekidsonline.com/parents_teachers/Good_Video_Games_and_Good_L
earning_Updated.pdf

GoogleGroups.(2015).GoogleGroups.RetrievedApril2015,from
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/minecraftteachers/1kb0CgkdeXY

Klopfer,E.,Osterweil,Scot.,Salen,K.(2009).Movinglearninggamesforward:obstacles,
opportunities&openness.TheEducationArcade.RetrievedApril2015from
http://education.mit.edu/papers/MovingLearningGamesForward_EdArcade.pdf

Levin,J.(n.d.).EducadeLessonPlans.GettingstartedwithMinecraftEdu.Educade.org.
RetrievedApril2015from
http://educade.org/lesson_plans/gettingstartedwithminecraftedu

Murray,J.(n.d.).MinecraftintheClassroomTeachesReadingandMore.TeachHUB.
RetrievedApril2015,from
http://www.teachhub.com/minecraftclassroomteachesreadingwritingproblemsolvin
g

Oakley,B.MinecraftMakesYouThink.MineMum.RetrievedApril2015,from
http://minemum.com/minecrafteducational

Sandford,R.,Ulicsak,M.,Facer,K.,&Rudd,T.(2006).TeachingwithGames:Using
commercialofftheshelfcomputergamesinformaleducation.Bristol,Futurelab.
RetrievedonApril2015from
http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/project_reports/teaching_with_gam
es/TWG_report.pdf

Sansing,Chad(2013).MinecraftorMinecraftEduatSchool?Pros,Cons,andWhatit'sGreat
For.CommonSenseGraphite.RetrievedApril2015from
https://www.graphite.org/blog/minecraftorminecrafteduatschoolprosconsandwhat
itsgreatfor

WhatisMinecraftEdu.(n.d.).WhatisMinecraftEduMinecraftEduwiki.RetrievedApril2015
fromhttp://services.minecraftedu.com/wiki/What_is_MinecraftEdu