This document discusses using the virtual world Minecraft to teach information literacy skills. It describes how Minecraft allows students to both consume and produce digital content, engaging in skills like reading, writing, video creation. The author worked with students to create an original video game in Minecraft focused on teaching digital citizenship. Students found the project fun and engaging. The author argues virtual worlds like Minecraft are effective ways to teach 21st century skills and can embed learning in new, collaborative formats enjoyed by students.

1. Information Literacy &
Gamification using Minecraft
Valerie Hill, PhD
Lewisville ISD Librarian
Adjunct Instructor TWU
ALA Midwinter 2014
@valibrarian

2. What is literacy?
lit·er·a·cy
lit-er-uh-see
noun: literacy
1. the ability to read and write.

3. Information Literacy includes all formats:
physical, virtual, and augmented.
•Digital literacy
•Media literacy
•Traditional literacy
•Transliteracy
•Audio-Visual literacy
•Web literacy
•Print literacy
•Balanced literacy

4. Print, electronic, digital, virtual, 3D, au
gmented, mixed reality
Virtual experiences feel life-like through haptic technology.
(Hecher et al, 2011)

5. Video games are now considered a literary genre.

6. In participatory digital culture, learners
both consume and produce (prosumers).
Alvin Toffler

7. In other words…
Consume
• Read
• Listen
• Watch a video
• Play the game
• Collect
• Subscribe
Produce
• Write
• Talk or sing
• Make a video
• Create the game
• Curate and share
• Upload

8. Virtual Worlds & Education
OLD Model: Buy the toy- Play the
game
NEW Model: Build games with
embedded educational content
Gamification in education (James Paul Gee)

9. Virtual worlds are one of many ways to teach
information literacy in digital culture.

10. Learners of all age groups
Adults in Virtual Worlds
Banned Books Week - Discussion
Children in Virtual Worlds
Virtual Anne Frank Museum

11. Registered Accounts in Virtual Worlds

14. Information Literacy has changed.

15. At what age
to create
do students begin
Digital Footprints?

16. Digital Citizenship

17. Let’s Visit
MinecraftEDU

18. My School Library
Project Purpose
• Use gamification to embed information literacy
• Allow students to lead PBL project
• Continue my research on virtual worlds in
education & libraries
• Get students excited about learning
• Use physical library as virtual “makerspace”

19. Why Use MinecraftEdu?
• Teach students in a way they will find fun and engaging
• Get your students excited about their History class, or their Social
Studies class, or virtually any other subject, by hosting the class in a
virtual Minecraft World
• MinecraftEdu provides great flexibility for customizing the student
experience to your subject/course material
• MinecraftEdu provides controls to prevent your students running
amok and straying off course
• Many students will already be familiar with Minecraft, reducing the
learning curve
• Minecraft worlds and projects created by other teachers are
already available to download and use, making implementation
easy and cutting down course planning time
• Setup and installation is easy, and the load on your IT resources is
easily manageable
• Did we mention it’s fun and the students will love it?
FROM
http://theedublogger.com/2013/11/21/gaming-in-education-minecraft-in-schools/

20. A 3D Virtual World designed for building with cubes.

21. Getting Started
•
•
•
•
Get familiar with the game
Obtain school district approval
MinecraftEDU vs Minecraft
Understand purpose (real learning
embedded in new formats)
• Failure is acceptable! No fear of
embracing new frontiers

22. The desire to create resides in each of us.
“What can we make?” asks the child.

23. Step by Step
1. Start small (student led)
2. Brainstorm purpose (digital citizenship
was our chosen theme)
3. Regular meetings (after school club)
4. Guidance from teacher/librarian (keep
them focused but allow creativity)
5. Document progress

24. Listen, observe, and
allow for creativity
Interesting comments from the students:
“Stop trolling me!”
“Have you ever heard of griefing?”
“How do you (insert question here as it
was heard repeatedly through
collaboration)?”
“Will you teleport me to your house?”

25. The final product…
In spring 2013, we successfully created an
original video game in Minecraft. Students
who complete the challenge demonstrate
understanding of basic digital citizenship and
cyber safety.
View our machinima on Youtube
“Digital Citizens in Minecraft”

26. Machinima on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKMYGOUyTY0&feature=share&list=UUrxwLEmZILcl7
4lwKx2wJSQ&index=9

27. Future Plans
The project continues.
Fifth grade videogame creators
work toward the goal of presenting
to third grade “testers”.

28. Q&A
• Remember emerging tech trends
will continue to change.
• No one single application is
“best” or absolute for teaching.
• Collaborative, constructivist
learning is expanding as we now
live in digital participatory
culture.
• 21st Century Learning Standards
can be embedded in new
formats.

29. Bibliography
American Library Association. 2007. Standards for the 21st Century Learner. Chicago: American Association of School
Librarians, 2007.
Creative Commons photos from http://photopin.com/ and http://www.bigfoto.com/
Gee, James Paul. 2003. What Video Games have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York: Palgrave
Macmillan.
Harris, Albert L., and Alan Rea. 2009. Web 2.0 and virtual world technologies: A growing impact on IS education.
Journal of Information Systems Education 20, (2): 137-44.
Hecher, M. M., Möstl, R. R., Eggeling, E. E., Derler, C. C., & Fellner, D. W. (2011). 'Tangible Culture' - Designing virtual
exhibitions on multi-touch devices. Information Services & Use, 31(3/4), 199-208.
Hill, Valerie, and Hyuk-Jin Lee. 2009. Libraries and immersive learning environments unite in second life. Library Hi
Tech 27, (3): 338-56.
Kzeroworldswide. 2013. Virtual world reports. http://www.kzero.co.uk/
Mastel, Kristen, and Dave Huston. 2009. Using video games to teach game design: A gaming collection for libraries.
Computers in Libraries 29, (3) (03/01): 41-4.
Peterman, Dana and Timothy Grieg. 2007. Shifts in Library and Librarian Roles: ALA/ Tech Source Gaming. Learning
and Libraries Symposium. Library Hi Tech News incorporating Online and CD Notes, (24(8), 25-29.
Webber, Sheila and Diane Nahl. 2011. Sustaining Learning for LIS through use of a Virtual World. IFLA Journal
(37)(1): 5-15.