As teachers prepare for the upcoming school year and work to improve student engagement in remote and hybrid learning models, Microsoft is expanding Minecraft: Education Edition to Chromebooks today to ensure more students can learn critical STEM skills from home this year.
Since Minecraft: Education Edition’s release in November 2016, thousands of teachers in more than 115 countries use Minecraft: Education Edition to inspire their students to learn STEM, tell stories, explore history, and solve problems from the classroom or at home.
This latest update of Minecraft: Education Edition includes all new features released on the Chromebook version on other devices too, including Windows 10, MacOS, and iPads. There are eleven new STEM lessons in a specially designed Minecraft world that help teach students about honeybees and pollination, new mobs like bees and foxes, and the new ability to build beehives and honey blocks.
Free online trainings are available with certified Minecraft Mentors and Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts (MIEEs) using features like in-game coding, multiplayer, and Immersive Reader. Minecraft: Education Edition presents a unique learning experience that meets students in a familiar game environment with inspiring learning content and opportunities to express their creativity.
Wales educator and Minecraft Mentor James Protheroe describes how Minecraft: Education Edition helps his students learn during the pandemic.
“We’ve built new relationships with students in this remote learning time. They’re helping one another in new ways, and it’s strengthening the relationships between teachers and students. Minecraft is helping them make sense of what’s happening. They can share their thoughts and reasoning, offload stress, and learn in a safe environment.”
There are plenty of resources available for teachers and parents about distance learning and how to include Minecraft: Education Edition in their classrooms and homes for the upcoming school year. Microsoft offers Minecraft: Education Edition free to try for a coding lesson or trial the full version with your class.
Get your copy of Minecraft: Education Edition today!
