The document discusses the potential of using Minecraft as an educational tool to enhance student learning through creativity and engagement. It emphasizes the importance of teachers understanding students' interests and ensuring that technology is effectively integrated into the classroom without losing focus on traditional learning methods. The text also outlines key considerations for educators, such as fostering a quality learning culture, using the game to develop critical thinking and collaboration skills, and being mindful of students' emotional responses during gameplay.

1. AARON MAURER
@COFFEECHUGBOOKS
WWW.COFFEEFORTHEBRAIN.COM

2. TEXT
WHO IS COFFEECHUG?
@COFFEECHUGBOOKS

3. HTTPS://AKA.MS/
MINECRAFTEDUIDEAS
HELP CREATE THE #1 CROWDSOURCED
MINECRAFT GUIDE FOR TEACHERS

4. DRIVING QUESTION
WILL MINECRAFT REALLY IMPROVE
STUDENT LEARNING?

5. YES
1. WEAVING AND MIXING
2. UTILIZE THE POWER AND STRENGTH OF GAMES
3. BUILD THE CULTURE FIRST!

6. WE MIX AND WEAVE
YES, IF…..

7. KNOWMAD SOCIETY 3.0

10. TEXT
Technological
change
is
not
addi/ve;
it
is
ecological,
which
means,
it
changes
everything.
Neil
Postman

11. HOW SMART HAVE SMART
BOARDS MADE CHILDREN?

13. UTILIZE THE STRENGTH AND
POWER OF GAMES
YES, IF…..

14. WHY DO YOU PLAY
MINECRAFT?

15. I LIKE HOW YOU CAN BUILD
ANYTHING AND DO CRAZY THINGS
I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD DO.
Girl, age 11-13

16. IT’S AMAZING THERE’S SO
MANY PEOPLE USING IT IN
SO MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS. IT’S A PLACE WHERE
YOU CAN UNLEASH YOUR
CREATIVITY NO MATTER
WHAT IT IS.
Girl, age 11-13

17. THAT YOU CAN GET DIAMOND WEAPONS
AND ARMOR. YOU GET TO KILL CREEPERS
AND ZOMBIES. I LIKE TO BUILD MANSIONS
AND ROLLER COASTERS
Boy, age 8-10

18. I PLAY MINECRAFT BECAUSE I CAN
FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING AND PLAY A
GAME THAT I GET TO DO WHATEVER I
WANT IN. I CAN PLAY WITH PEOPLE FROM
ALL OVER THE WORLD. IT DOES NOT
MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE ARE, WHAT
YOU LOOK LIKE, OR WHERE YOU’RE
FROM. I’VE MADE THE MOST AMAZING
FRIENDSHIPS FROM THIS GAME.
Girl, age 11-13

19. IF YOUR SCHOOL HAD MINECRAFT
IN THE CLASSROOM, THEN WHAT
WOULD YOU WANT TEACHERS TO
KNOW?

21. I'VE USED A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL 'GAMES' IN SCHOOL. PUTTING AN ANIMATED CHARACTER WITH A FUNNY VOICE
NEXT TO A BUNCH OF MATH PROBLEMS DOESN'T MAKE THEM ANY MORE FUN. THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT TO
KEEP STUDENTS INTERESTED IN MINECRAFT THEY HAVE TO USE ACTUAL GAMES (NOT LIKE A GAME AS A REWARD
FOR DOING A PROBLEM ACTUAL GAMES THAT ARE FUN AND THAT STUDENTS WILL WANT TO KEEP PLAYING WAY
AFTER THEIR TEACHER TELLS THEM TO STOP). MAKE SURE YOU KNOW IF YOUR STUDENTS ARE ENJOYING IT AND LET
THEM BE CREATIVE WITH IT. I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT TEACHERS FIND SOMETHING THAT SEEMS COOL
BECAUSE IT'S TECHNOLOGY AND USE IT. THEY ARE USUALLY A LOT MORE WORK THAN THEY ARE WORTH AND THE
STUDENTS END UP GETTING BORED OR NOT LIKING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. TEACHERS NEED TO KEEP THEMSELVES
FROM GETTING EXCITED ABOUT THINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE ENJOYING IT, IF THEY AREN'T
THEN STOP. FINALLY, TEACHERS NEED TO REALIZE THAT SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER FOR THE STUDENTS TO LEARN IT
THE OLD FASHIONED WAY (TEXTBOOK, PAPER, PENCIL). IT'S OKAY TO DO IT THAT WAY SOMETIMES SO THE STUDENTS
DON'T GET TOO BORED WITH THE NEW STUFF EITHER AND CAN STILL LEARN THE THINGS THEY NEED TO LEARN AT
THE PACE THEY NEED TO LEARN THEM.
Girl, 11-13

22. WATCH THEIR FACE AND
DETERMINE THEIR EMOTION. IF
THEY LOOK CONCENTRATED OR
FRUSTRATED THAT IS GOOD. IF
THEY ARE HAPPY AND EXCITED
OR SURPRISED THAT IS ALSO
GOOD.
Boy, 8-10

23. MAKE SURE WE ARE INTERACTING
WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CLASS
WHEN WE PLAY IT. IT IS MORE FUN
THAT WAY.
Girl, 11-13

24. HONESTLY I THINK IF
MINECRAFT WAS IN THE
CLASSROOM THERE
WOULD BE NOTHING
UNFUN ABOUT IT
Boy, 14-18

25. DON'T COMPLETELY RESTRICT WHAT
STUDENTS CAN DO. MINECRAFT IS
ABOUT FREEDOM AND CREATIVITY
Student

26. “SCHOOL-IZE”
DO NOT

29. BUILD A CULTURE
YES, IF WE…..

32. ELEMENTS OF A QUALITY LEARNING CULTURE
▸ allows students to be curious
▸ allows students to be playful
▸ allows students to be risk takers
▸ allows students to be persistent
▸ allows students to share
▸ allows students to be treated like a person

33. 4 C’S SHOULD ACTUALLY BE
THE 5 C’S
@pbjellygames @minegageedu

34. 5 C’S
▸ critical thinking
▸ collaboration
▸ communication
▸ creativity
▸ Common Core

35. BRICK BY BRICK
HOW DO I START?

37. SIMPLE IDEAS TO START
▸ Students blog/journal their role playing adventures
▸ Students create models of the curriculum
▸ history
▸ book
▸ science ideas

38. SIMPLE IDEAS TO START
▸ Math - perimeter, area, volume
▸ Students screencast their own work - 21st century skills
▸ Student choice
▸ Rollercoaster
▸ Build a mall/store/city(supply chain)
▸ Digital Citizenship
▸ Zoo or Jurassic Park

39. EXAMPLES

42. PATHWAY
MINECRAFT IS ONE
OF STUDENT LEARNING

43. TEACHERS
IT STARTS WITH THE

44. WE CANNOT FIT A SQUARE PEG INTO A
ROUND HOLE. DO NOT FORCE MC INTO
THE CLASSROOM JUST BECAUSE IT
SEEMS COOL AND FUN. BARF!!!!!
@me

45. FIND AND DETERMINE A LEARNING OUTCOME
▸ If Minecraft works, then you have an entry point.
▸ The challenge with any tech is to determine if it will
develop the skills and student learning, NOT just increase
engagement.
▸ Engagement is important, BUT engagement does not
always translate to learning.

46. ASK YOURSELF

47. ▸ Could Minecraft make a positive impact on engagement and
motivation in your classroom?
▸ Describe one area of your curriculum where you can
integrate MC.

48. ▸ Where might you identify opportunities in your curriculum
to include Minecraft?

49. ▸ Describe a passive activity that you currently have your
students complete that you can make more active?

50. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
▸ What are your plans for building your world?
▸ How will your world tie into your standards?
▸ What do you think will be the most difficult part of your build?
▸ What kind of mode are you going to use?
▸ What type of starting world are you using and why?
▸ What problems are you running into planning, building, or
managing?

51. TEXT
IT STARTS
WITH US
BEFORE IT
STARTS WITH
OUR
STUDENTS!

54. CONNECTION
IT IS ALL ABOUT THE
NOT THE TECHNOLOGY

55. RESOURCES
HTTPS://AKA.MS/
MINECRAFTEDUIDEAS
AARON MAURER
@COFFEECHUGBOOKS
WWW.COFFEEFORTHEBRAIN.COM