Justification
Computer and video games in contemporary culture has progressively shifted the world’s attention and imagination, to the potential of game-based teaching and learning. Educational games in the classroom have been traditionally designed to meet learning outcomes and requirements. Elliot (2014) argues that it is often the “off the shelf entertainment titles,” such as Minecraft, that provides the complexity and attraction for engaging lessons.
The gaming mechanics, simple design and absence of real storyline within Minecraft has been a great success in the gaming industry, and an effective tool within the education system to meet outcomes in different key learning areas. Within the educational system, Minecraft has the potential to provide adequate learning instructions, remediation and even extension activities (Bos, Wilder, Cook, & O’Donnell, 2014). Additionally, this meets the Australian educational curriculum requirement to “adapting to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and limits the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment."
The module explores mathematical concepts of two dimensional and three dimensional spaces with the inclusion of area and perimeter. It targets two primary outcomes, MA2-14MG and MA2-15MG, as well as, MA2-9MG and MA2-10MG as subdivisions. The module consists of four progressive sessions, each utilizing different parts of the larger pre-determined scenario, which targets both mathematical and Minecraft related skills. Minecraft students also have the opportunity to explore and create different two and three dimensional structures and shapes through the use of extra features. This allows a greater purpose for students to employ their architectural imagination and skills in the context of the game and real world to achieve a deeper depth of understanding (Bos et al, 2014). Ideally, the module provides students with an engaging, interesting and active content, which Zhang (2015) and Elliot (2012) argues to be crucial elements of game based learning.
The virtual world of Minecraft creates an enhanced environment to foster multiplayer modes and collaboration which is highly critical in this module. It provides students the chance to discuss and view problems in different perspectives, and share ideas and solutions with one another. The module accentuates team based and experiential learning together with open ended collaborative play as students freely explore and design a variety of different creative work, and establish their understanding of becoming a digital citizen. Supplementing to the traditional education system, this module allows for limitless creative capabilities and divergent thinking, and assesses student’s ability to employ both the learning outcomes and imagination to freely design and create based on the teaching scenario.
Effective formal and informal assessment tasks have become less difficult as games become utilized as assessment tools in the modern society (Phillips & Popovic, 2012). Using Minecraft’s unique aggregated capabilities of modifications and circuitry can serve to be the entry point to changing student’s perception of assessments. With slightly complex circuitry with ‘red stones’ in the gaming mechanics, the module sets students with a summative task at the end of session 4 to accumulate their different understanding. This level of understanding is then applied to the predesigned maze, consisting of interrelated questions relating to the different aspects of the module.
Ultimately, this module supports teachers who seek to engage and transform the way students who struggle with traditional learning practices view education as a whole. It is important to understand that although it does not follow the characteristics and structures of an educational game, through proper use Minecraft has the potential to meet learning outcomes in an enhanced open-ended environment. Additionally, this module aims to cater for the different learning abilities of students within the classroom, and aids to close the gap between disadvantage students (Elliot, 2014).
References
Bos, B., Wilder, L., Cook, M., & O’Donnell, R. (2014) Learning Mathematics through Minecraft. Teaching Children Mathematics. Vol 21(1), pp 56-59
Elliot, D. (2012). Together alone: Computer games as curriculum. Idiom. Vol 48(3), pp 16-18.
Elliot, D. (2014). Levelling the playing field: Engaging disadvantaged students through game-based pedagogy. Literacy learning The Middle Years. Vol 22(2), pp 34-40
Phillips, V. & Popovic, Z. (2012). More than childs play: Games have potential learning and assessment tools. Phi Delta Kappan. Vol 94(2), pp 26-30.
Zhang, M. (2014) Understanding the relationships between interest in online math games and academic performance. Journal of Computer Assisted learning. Vol 31(3), pp 254-267
The gaming mechanics, simple design and absence of real storyline within Minecraft has been a great success in the gaming industry, and an effective tool within the education system to meet outcomes in different key learning areas. Within the educational system, Minecraft has the potential to provide adequate learning instructions, remediation and even extension activities (Bos, Wilder, Cook, & O’Donnell, 2014). Additionally, this meets the Australian educational curriculum requirement to “adapting to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and limits the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment."
The module explores mathematical concepts of two dimensional and three dimensional spaces with the inclusion of area and perimeter. It targets two primary outcomes, MA2-14MG and MA2-15MG, as well as, MA2-9MG and MA2-10MG as subdivisions. The module consists of four progressive sessions, each utilizing different parts of the larger pre-determined scenario, which targets both mathematical and Minecraft related skills. Minecraft students also have the opportunity to explore and create different two and three dimensional structures and shapes through the use of extra features. This allows a greater purpose for students to employ their architectural imagination and skills in the context of the game and real world to achieve a deeper depth of understanding (Bos et al, 2014). Ideally, the module provides students with an engaging, interesting and active content, which Zhang (2015) and Elliot (2012) argues to be crucial elements of game based learning.
The virtual world of Minecraft creates an enhanced environment to foster multiplayer modes and collaboration which is highly critical in this module. It provides students the chance to discuss and view problems in different perspectives, and share ideas and solutions with one another. The module accentuates team based and experiential learning together with open ended collaborative play as students freely explore and design a variety of different creative work, and establish their understanding of becoming a digital citizen. Supplementing to the traditional education system, this module allows for limitless creative capabilities and divergent thinking, and assesses student’s ability to employ both the learning outcomes and imagination to freely design and create based on the teaching scenario.
Effective formal and informal assessment tasks have become less difficult as games become utilized as assessment tools in the modern society (Phillips & Popovic, 2012). Using Minecraft’s unique aggregated capabilities of modifications and circuitry can serve to be the entry point to changing student’s perception of assessments. With slightly complex circuitry with ‘red stones’ in the gaming mechanics, the module sets students with a summative task at the end of session 4 to accumulate their different understanding. This level of understanding is then applied to the predesigned maze, consisting of interrelated questions relating to the different aspects of the module.
Ultimately, this module supports teachers who seek to engage and transform the way students who struggle with traditional learning practices view education as a whole. It is important to understand that although it does not follow the characteristics and structures of an educational game, through proper use Minecraft has the potential to meet learning outcomes in an enhanced open-ended environment. Additionally, this module aims to cater for the different learning abilities of students within the classroom, and aids to close the gap between disadvantage students (Elliot, 2014).
References
Bos, B., Wilder, L., Cook, M., & O’Donnell, R. (2014) Learning Mathematics through Minecraft. Teaching Children Mathematics. Vol 21(1), pp 56-59
Elliot, D. (2012). Together alone: Computer games as curriculum. Idiom. Vol 48(3), pp 16-18.
Elliot, D. (2014). Levelling the playing field: Engaging disadvantaged students through game-based pedagogy. Literacy learning The Middle Years. Vol 22(2), pp 34-40
Phillips, V. & Popovic, Z. (2012). More than childs play: Games have potential learning and assessment tools. Phi Delta Kappan. Vol 94(2), pp 26-30.
Zhang, M. (2014) Understanding the relationships between interest in online math games and academic performance. Journal of Computer Assisted learning. Vol 31(3), pp 254-267