Minecraft is known and loved worldwide, especially by children and young people. However, parents often hear skeptical voices: "Playing Minecraft is not programming." But the special version Minecraft: Education Edition is much more than just a game. It is a powerful educational tool that helps children develop important skills while learning through play. In this blog post, we explain what Minecraft: Education Edition is and how children can learn with it.

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What is Minecraft: Education Edition?

Minecraft: Education Edition is a version of the popular Minecraft game specially developed for educational purposes. This edition is used in schools and educational institutions worldwide to teach learning content in a creative and interactive way. It offers a variety of features that have been specially designed for teaching and promote learning through play and creativity.

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What happens at our Minecraft Engineers camp?

Day 1: Redstone

The construction work begins with the basics of rollercoaster building. The theme of the day: Redstone, a form of "electricity" in Minecraft, which is used to power the rollercoaster and create amazing effects. A boarding station will be designed and a light tunnel with redstone elements and a scary tower of terror will be built. The children also get an introduction to the logic of Redstone and design loops and switches.

Day 2: Commands and command blocks

Additional thrills are achieved through the use of commands. Simple commands can be given to the game either directly or via a specially programmable block (the command block). The children receive an introduction to the use of command-based programming and build a part of the rollercoaster that automatically generates itself and disappears again.

Day 3: even more command blocks and coding interface

On the last day, a bow and arrow game with redstone targets will be created. In addition, the Minecraft: Education Edition coding interface will be presented and used to incorporate autogenerated elements into the rollercoaster. The roller coasters are then given the finishing touches and presented. The camp ends with a ceremony to honor the "graduated Minecraft engineers".

At home:

Kids can continue their Minecraft programming journey at home by using their own Minecraft Education license to import their camp world or start new projects.

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How children learn with Minecraft: Education Edition

Minecraft: Education Edition offers a wide range of learning opportunities that go far beyond simply playing. At Minecraft Engineers , we focus on design and creativity. But there are also other examples of how children can learn with this platform:

1. learn programming with Code Builder

Code Builder is a fun way for children to develop programming skills. They can write simple programs that trigger in-game actions, such as placing blocks or moving characters. This not only promotes technical knowledge, but also logical thinking and problem-solving skills. We also use this feature at camp.

2. understand mathematical concepts through construction projects

Building complex structures in Minecraft allows children to explore mathematical concepts such as geometry, units of measurement and spatial reasoning. For example, they might be asked to create a replica of a historical structure, forcing them to calculate exact measurements and proportions.

3. experience historical events and cultures

In prefabricated historical worlds, pupils can relive historical events and explore different cultures. This promotes a deeper understanding of history and cultural anthropology. For example, they could explore ancient Rome and learn how the Roman Empire functioned.

4. carry out scientific experiments

The chemistry toolset enables students to combine elements and observe chemical reactions. They can also carry out experiments that replicate real scientific processes and thus deepen their knowledge of science.

5. team projects and creative tasks

Through collaborative building projects and creative tasks, children learn the importance of teamwork and cooperation. They have to plan, distribute tasks and solve problems together, which strengthens their social and organizational skills.

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Minecraft as a valuable educational tool

Minecraft: Education Edition is far more than just a game. It is a versatile and effective educational tool that helps children develop important 21st century skills. The game-based approach teaches complex learning content in an easy-to-understand and motivating way.

Parents can be sure that their children will not only have fun, but also gain valuable knowledge and skills that will benefit them in their educational and professional future. If you would like to find out more about how we use Minecraft: Education Edition, take a look at our camp: https://www.codecampworld.ch/camps/minecraft-engineers

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