Minecraft Development

At Green Gates Academy the children have been developing their writing using Minecraft as a mechanism to further support the development of writing.

Using the Minecraft recently we have seen great benefits at Green Gates.

These include:

Benefit 1: Minecraft in the classroom promotes engagement in lessons

Computer games are an intrinsic motivator for many pupils. The pupils in the class were drawn to this activity and excited to participate.

It was very clear from our observations in class with the pupils that the pupils were highly motivated by the project. As one student succinctly put it: “Minecraft made it more interesting.”

Engagement alone is a good rationale for using Minecraft in the classroom. Getting pupils engaged in the task is, after all, half the battle.

Benefit 2: The game helps students generate creative ideas

The pupils’ experiences in gameplay helped them to more clearly visualize their castles.

One student, for example, told us: “I had a lot more ideas to write about” after playing Minecraft in the classroom. Another stated: “it’s easier to describe things on Minecraft because I can see them.”

Benefit 3: The game scaffolds thinking

Scaffolding is the art of providing support to pupils to help them learn. The supports from Minecraft has encouraged pupils to think more deeply about a topic or given them strategies for the completion of a task.

The children have loved developing their brochures for their exciting rides using Minecraft and this has led to a whole range of other activities that the children have been engaged in