Minecraft: A New Frontier for Learning

Imagine a classroom where students build school buildings, transform city landscapes, design sustainable communities, and learn STEAM concepts while playing their favourite video game.

For several years, Winnipeg School Division (WSD) has supported teacher learning with innovative technology that enhances student learning. Two years ago, WSD collaborated with Logics Academy to build the WSD in Minecraft. Students can access and use all schools on the digital map to learn, create, build, and imagine the possibilities connected to their school. This file is accessible to all teachers who want to build their schools.

A recent professional development session focused on Minecraft Education, a platform that transforms traditional learning into immersive and interactive experiences.

This year's professional development session, held on November 20, featured young talent guiding teachers learning Minecraft for the first time and for the teachers who wanted to deepen their understanding of the platform. Three student leaders from Keewatin Prairie School played a crucial role in guiding teachers through the intricacies of Minecraft Education. 

Stephen, a Grade 8 student who started playing Minecraft in kindergarten, shared, "The highlight was teaching the teachers HOW to play, especially because it's usually teachers teaching us. It was fun to see the confusion on the teachers' faces because, to me, it seemed so simple." 

Franco, a Grade 7 student, added, "The teachers didn't know how to use Minecraft, and we taught them the main functions of the game. I enjoyed helping the adults." 

Donovan Ponce, a STEM teacher at General Wolfe School, sees Minecraft's benefits: "It has the potential to transform how I teach by making learning more engaging and relevant for my students. Through Minecraft, students can explore biomes and outer space—places we could never realistically take them."

“These experiences make learning interactive and show students how classroom concepts connect to the real world—or, in this case, the Minecraft world.”

Minecraft Education isn't limited to one subject. It supports learning about Rational numbers, Graphing, Coding, Ecosystems, Design processes and more.

"We are continuously inspired by the educators who join us to learn more about the power of Minecraft to engage students and bring powerful teaching and learning opportunities to the classroom. These days are full of fun and learning. It's always a joy to see teachers ready to take on new challenges and thrive," said Mike Washburn, Director of Learning and Development from Logics Academy. 

In January 2023, Mike Washburn and Dorothy Goddard, Divisional Support Teacher for STEAM and Science, supported teachers from twelve schools in the first phase. 

"WSD teachers interested in Minecraft Education signed up for this year's session. The focus was Grade 3 to 10 teachers," said Dorothy Goddard, 

"A group of teachers invited this year to the PD are a Grades 7 and 8 school group connected to engagement and multidisciplinary projects: Sargent Park, Keewatin Prairie, General Wolfe and Hugh John Macdonald."

The WSD world file was shared again, and teachers can now have students build their school, playground, and community.

Link to the WSD Guide Document for Minecraft Education World.

The professional development session was successful, and educators were enthusiastic about integrating Minecraft into their classrooms. Several Manitoba-specific worlds were shared in the Minecraft Library: Level Up Winnipeg, Level Up Winnipeg Season 2, and Pimachiowin Aki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Manitoba. The Manitoba School Esports Association has just released their National Dogsled Track Design Challenge connected to Pimachiowin Aki for Grades 4-9 students, with a registration date of December 6^th, 2024. 

Jeremiah, a Grade 7 student, shared his experience: "I was nervous in the beginning because there were only three of us and like 20 teachers. About an hour in, I started to get used to it. Once the teachers started getting the hang of it, I felt calmer. It was exciting to teach adults; seeing their confusion and then their progress was really satisfying." 

Pam Spitula, a Grade 7 Sargent Park Teacher, was impressed: "The PD was great today, with lots of tips and tricks to integrate Minecraft into the classroom in all different subjects. We spent the morning learning the basics and how to build a world, which was a lot of fun!"

"The most beneficial part of the day was interacting with our PD experts. Not only did we have Mike Washburn leading, but we also had some great students from Keewatin Prairie guiding us. These students knew way more about Minecraft than all the adults, and it was wonderful to see them in their element! They were confident in their answers and could easily help us whenever we became lost. They were a great asset to our learning!"

Stephen summed it up perfectly: "Seeing the teachers progress over the day made me happy. They went from being clueless to learning about the game and having their ideas."

Learning has never looked so exciting!