Hi Everyone,
I'm a public high school teacher and education graduate student interested in using Minecraft in my classroom. I think it could be a great tool to reinforce some of the curricular standards we cover in various classes at my school.
Here are a few questions I have as I embark upon this project. Any ideas would be much appreciated.
1. Does anyone know Mojang's policies when it comes to classroom usage of their products? It would be easier on our budgets to purchase one "student account" for use in our classroom only, if possible. I'm having a hard time finding contact information for people at the company to ask directly, and I want to make sure I don't break any rules.
2. So far, I've designed a lesson plan that has students practice working with logic gates using redstone circuits. I'm also thinking of making lesson plans that reinforce concepts from geology (i.e. what are the real world characteristics of materials found in the game), history (research and recreate important historical structures in a game world) and mathematics (simulate surface area, volume and Cartesian coordinate problems in the game world). Does anyone have further ideas to explore?
Man,i wish i would have a teacher to give me Minecraft as a base to study on.I would be best student in the world.
Cannot help you much,but a shameless bump.Hope you get permission to use it in class! :smile.gif:
Hi Everyone,
I'm a public high school teacher and education graduate student interested in using Minecraft in my classroom. I think it could be a great tool to reinforce some of the curricular standards we cover in various classes at my school.
Here are a few questions I have as I embark upon this project. Any ideas would be much appreciated.
1. Does anyone know Mojang's policies when it comes to classroom usage of their products? It would be easier on our budgets to purchase one "student account" for use in our classroom only, if possible. I'm having a hard time finding contact information for people at the company to ask directly, and I want to make sure I don't break any rules.
2. So far, I've designed a lesson plan that has students practice working with logic gates using redstone circuits. I'm also thinking of making lesson plans that reinforce concepts from geology (i.e. what are the real world characteristics of materials found in the game), history (research and recreate important historical structures in a game world) and mathematics (simulate surface area, volume and Cartesian coordinate problems in the game world). Does anyone have further ideas to explore?
Thanks a bunch,
FermatCat
for 1. mojang doesnt care. aslong as its not being sold its fine.
for 2. theres lapis lazuli, which can work. cant think of anything else.
also, bukkit server mod and essentials plugin can allow you to create a controlled environment in a multiplayer server which you can make private and allow students to connect.
I haven't come across any policy restricting using this a public tool, like films. And for your second question regarding only using on account, you would have to email Mojang and find that out. In some aspects you could consider it pirating for more than 1 person to use an account. But at the same time, you're teaching using this so it would be kind of ridiculous to use a new account for each student.
Hello FermatCat. First off, I think it's awesome that you are taking a creative approach to your teaching. I have a few ideas/lesson plans for you, and some advice.
1. Give them dimensions/resources and tell them to build a house with certain specifications - for example:
Build a house out of no more than 500 blocks, with a 4 block high ceiling.
2. Make sure you tell them what isn't real in it. For example:
You can't punch trees and break them.
3. You should use a Bukkit server and then get certain mods. They can do fun things, like change your name/appearance. While they are doing your lessons, they can have even more fun.
4. As a big, team project, you guys could team up on a Bukkit server and build a computer. There are several out there.
5. Remember, even though it is a game, you gotta do the work. Minecraft will suck you in away from work.
Another thing - Mojang Specifications doesn't care about accounts. You CAN buy one account and use it for everyone, but then you couldn't play on multiplayer, which would be the best.
The game costs about 15 euros - or 20 dollars. In a class of 30, that would be 600$. Well, if you are really serious about this, I bet you'll figure it out.
$600 might be too much for a school budget, especially with the recent budget cuts. What you could do is ask each student for $20, as if they were paying for school equipment usage. For example, in my orchestra, all of us need mutes, which cost $3 each. However, there are 100+ students in the orchestra, and $300 dollars for mutes would be ridiculous. So the teacher got $3 from every student without having to pay a cent themselves. If their parents won't give them $20 dollars for a game, you could always disguise it as a school project. (which it is)
I really want to know how well this works for you! I'm about to enter high school, and god I would LOVE to have Minecraft incorporated into my curriculum!
(Plus it would make learning redstone logic so much easier if it was mandatory.....)
A lot of math & architectural elements can be applied in minecraft.
You might be surprised at how many of your students may already have accounts that they could use. A server like someone suggested above might be a good idea for group projects/collaboration.
1. I'll try to contact Mojang through Facebook, Twitter and the email addresses provided. Thanks for those.
2. I've really liked some of the ideas I've heard so far. I'll start thinking of ways to implement lesson plans for the projectiles idea and the mapmaking/orienteering idea and others once I'm done with the ones currently in my queue.
3. For the person who asked, I teach high school mathematics and video game programming (which is really just computer programming with a lot of gaming examples). I have a master's degree in educational technology and am currently working on my doctorate. I'm really interested in using games and game design in high school classrooms.
4. I'll be posting my lesson plans publicly in a few weeks. Feel free to use them or share them with teachers once they're up.
I have no useful information to give, but I just want to say that this is a really great idea. I have to admit that some games I have played, like Call of Duty and other WW2 games really have caused me to be interested in history more than ever before. Of course war games should not be played in school; other video games like Minecraft really do have great potential as teaching aids. I wish I grew up in this new age of technology instead of the stupid 90's.
You missed one important (to me at least) information - what subject are you teaching exactly? This would be helpful in giving more precise ideas as to what do you want to achieve with this lesson.
Hi Everyone,
I'm a public high school teacher and education graduate student interested in using Minecraft in my classroom. I think it could be a great tool to reinforce some of the curricular standards we cover in various classes at my school.
Here are a few questions I have as I embark upon this project. Any ideas would be much appreciated.
1. Does anyone know Mojang's policies when it comes to classroom usage of their products? It would be easier on our budgets to purchase one "student account" for use in our classroom only, if possible. I'm having a hard time finding contact information for people at the company to ask directly, and I want to make sure I don't break any rules.
2. So far, I've designed a lesson plan that has students practice working with logic gates using redstone circuits. I'm also thinking of making lesson plans that reinforce concepts from geology (i.e. what are the real world characteristics of materials found in the game), history (research and recreate important historical structures in a game world) and mathematics (simulate surface area, volume and Cartesian coordinate problems in the game world). Does anyone have further ideas to explore?
Thanks a bunch,
FermatCat
I love you.
Why you don't my teacher?! D:
Also, + to you!
***
1 STEP I make many money.
2 STEP I will be a teacher, I will talk with kids about system (Globalizm), about Space and other, play at MtG and minecraft.
3 STEP ???
I'm a public high school teacher and education graduate student interested in using Minecraft in my classroom. I think it could be a great tool to reinforce some of the curricular standards we cover in various classes at my school.
Here are a few questions I have as I embark upon this project. Any ideas would be much appreciated.
1. Does anyone know Mojang's policies when it comes to classroom usage of their products? It would be easier on our budgets to purchase one "student account" for use in our classroom only, if possible. I'm having a hard time finding contact information for people at the company to ask directly, and I want to make sure I don't break any rules.
2. So far, I've designed a lesson plan that has students practice working with logic gates using redstone circuits. I'm also thinking of making lesson plans that reinforce concepts from geology (i.e. what are the real world characteristics of materials found in the game), history (research and recreate important historical structures in a game world) and mathematics (simulate surface area, volume and Cartesian coordinate problems in the game world). Does anyone have further ideas to explore?
Thanks a bunch,
FermatCat
2: what class are you teaching ?
3: i really enjoy your new approach to teaching
Cannot help you much,but a shameless bump.Hope you get permission to use it in class! :smile.gif:
for 1. mojang doesnt care. aslong as its not being sold its fine.
for 2. theres lapis lazuli, which can work. cant think of anything else.
also, bukkit server mod and essentials plugin can allow you to create a controlled environment in a multiplayer server which you can make private and allow students to connect.
http://www.minecraftforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23440
http://www.minecraft.net/copyright.jsp
They don't care. As long as you aren't making money off of them.
Want to come to my school?
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If you earn one, you can not give it away.
2: Those ideas sound doable and likable! I would be careful about the redstone logic gates, those can be too complicated for some people.
I would recommend trying some geography and orienteering. You could make a basic map and have students locate a house following landmarks.
1. Give them dimensions/resources and tell them to build a house with certain specifications - for example:
Build a house out of no more than 500 blocks, with a 4 block high ceiling.
2. Make sure you tell them what isn't real in it. For example:
You can't punch trees and break them.
3. You should use a Bukkit server and then get certain mods. They can do fun things, like change your name/appearance. While they are doing your lessons, they can have even more fun.
4. As a big, team project, you guys could team up on a Bukkit server and build a computer. There are several out there.
5. Remember, even though it is a game, you gotta do the work. Minecraft will suck you in away from work.
Another thing - Mojang Specifications doesn't care about accounts. You CAN buy one account and use it for everyone, but then you couldn't play on multiplayer, which would be the best.
The game costs about 15 euros - or 20 dollars. In a class of 30, that would be 600$. Well, if you are really serious about this, I bet you'll figure it out.
(Plus it would make learning redstone logic so much easier if it was mandatory.....)
You might be surprised at how many of your students may already have accounts that they could use. A server like someone suggested above might be a good idea for group projects/collaboration.
by c0yote
I tried it with terrible results. I gave my wife my glasses for a second, a creeper showed up and now my wife is pregnant.
Stupid 3D..
You Are Awesome.
More teachers need to hear about this
1. I'll try to contact Mojang through Facebook, Twitter and the email addresses provided. Thanks for those.
2. I've really liked some of the ideas I've heard so far. I'll start thinking of ways to implement lesson plans for the projectiles idea and the mapmaking/orienteering idea and others once I'm done with the ones currently in my queue.
3. For the person who asked, I teach high school mathematics and video game programming (which is really just computer programming with a lot of gaming examples). I have a master's degree in educational technology and am currently working on my doctorate. I'm really interested in using games and game design in high school classrooms.
4. I'll be posting my lesson plans publicly in a few weeks. Feel free to use them or share them with teachers once they're up.
Thanks again!
FermatCat
You missed one important (to me at least) information - what subject are you teaching exactly? This would be helpful in giving more precise ideas as to what do you want to achieve with this lesson.
...But that's just my opinion.
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B14 - My Texture Pack!
Need textures for your mod? Inquire within, just read the rules.
I love you.
Why you don't my teacher?! D:
Also, + to you!
***
1 STEP I make many money.
2 STEP I will be a teacher, I will talk with kids about system (Globalizm), about Space and other, play at MtG and minecraft.
3 STEP ???