Research: Minecraft has been hailed as a “virtual sandbox,” with opportunities for kids to build, explore, and create on a digital platform. Education writer James Drzewiecki identifies many benefits to using Minecraft in the classroom, which include: increased engagement, collaboration and teamwork, building social skills, increased problem-solving skills, the creative introduction of curricular content, the incorporation of student choice and creativity, and incredible potential for use in endless subject areas. Its overwhelming appeal to many students makes it an accessible and comfortable format for them to engage in the learning process and demonstrate what they know.

Practice: As a tool that so many of our students are familiar with and enjoy, we see a world of opportunities for learning with Minecraft. We are extremely grateful to the parent who made a generous donation to the South Campus this summer. We are now outfitted with new computers, iPads, and our own server so that we can begin to explore the potential for this new technology. We can’t wait for it to transpire!