Content
Read on a page
The trek again moves westwards. The settlers bought supplies, steered oxen in front of plan carts and studied cards. In front of you is a 3,500 kilometre long, dangerous and privation rich path: The Oregon Trail. 2017, cult game of same name for US students has been republished, with settlers, oxen and tarpaulins consisting of colourful blocks. The interactive history lesson about colonization of Wild West has made it into Klötzchenspiel Minecraft, more specifically: in education edition of Microsoft – biggest single initiative so far, which wants to make games part of curriculum in schools.
if ( typeof AdController !== ‘undefined’ !window.Zeit.isMobileView()) { if ( !document.getElementById( ‘iqadtile8’ ) ) { var elem = document.createElement( ‘div’ ); elem.id = ‘iqadtile8’; elem.className = “ad ad-desktop ad-desktop–8 ad-desktop–8-on-article”; elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-type’, ‘desktop’); elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-label’, ‘Anzeige’); document.getElementById(‘ad-desktop-8’).parentNode.appendChild(elem); AdController.render(‘iqadtile8’); if ( window.console typeof window.console.info === ‘function’ ) { window.console.info(‘AdController ‘ AdController.VERSION ‘ tile 8 desktop’) } } } if ( typeof AdController !== ‘undefined’ window.Zeit.isMobileView()) { if ( !document.getElementById( ‘iqadtile3’ ) ) { var elem = document.createElement( ‘div’ ); elem.id = ‘iqadtile3’; elem.className = “ad ad-mobile ad-mobile–3 ad-mobile–3-on-article”; elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-type’, ‘mobile’); document.getElementById(‘ad-mobile-3’).parentNode.appendChild(elem); AdController.render(‘iqadtile3’); if ( window.console typeof window.console.info === ‘function’ ) { window.console.info(‘AdController ‘ AdController.VERSION ‘ tile 3 mobile’) } } }
The Oregon Trail is just one of many learning worlds. From Education edition website, users can now download 24 different so-called worlds, from basic tutorial to a miniature version of South Africa to fully functional Rube Goldberg machine. In addition, dozens of lessons are available from most diverse areas of knowledge, such as mamatics, visual arts, literature and computer science. They are organized according to age levels and carry titles such as addition World, time machine or Mooncraft. The offer is constantly being expanded.
Meanwhile, according to Microsoft, more than two million students and teachers around world have tried version. That’s impressive. And yet education edition is far removed from broad effect it could achieve. It is not yet exploiting its potential. This is shown by comparison with two or versions of Minecraft that have been used for a long time in schools: The traditional Java version and MoD MinecraftEdu, which was developed by company teacher Gaming.
Windows 10 is a requirement
Microsoft’s goal is to bring education edition to as many schools as possible. The students should “learn in an environment with which y are already familiar,” says website, as some of students know Minecraft from PC, console or mobile device. Fear of contact is thus lost and learning content can be communicated more easily. To establish Education edition in schools, Microsoft has launched an elaborate mentoring, where selected teachers regularly blog for community and live streams.
if ( typeof AdController !== ‘undefined’ !window.Zeit.isMobileView()) { if ( !document.getElementById( ‘iqadtile4’ ) ) { var elem = document.createElement( ‘div’ ); elem.id = ‘iqadtile4’; elem.className = “ad ad-desktop ad-desktop–4 ad-desktop–4-on-article”; elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-type’, ‘desktop’); elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-label’, ‘Anzeige’); document.getElementById(‘ad-desktop-4’).parentNode.appendChild(elem); AdController.render(‘iqadtile4’); if ( window.console typeof window.console.info === ‘function’ ) { window.console.info(‘AdController ‘ AdController.VERSION ‘ tile 4 desktop’) } } } if ( typeof AdController !== ‘undefined’ window.Zeit.isMobileView()) { if ( !document.getElementById( ‘iqadtile4’ ) ) { var elem = document.createElement( ‘div’ ); elem.id = ‘iqadtile4’; elem.className = “ad ad-mobile ad-mobile–4 ad-mobile–4-on-article”; elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-type’, ‘mobile’); document.getElementById(‘ad-mobile-4’).parentNode.appendChild(elem); AdController.render(‘iqadtile4’); if ( window.console typeof window.console.info === ‘function’ ) { window.console.info(‘AdController ‘ AdController.VERSION ‘ tile 4 mobile’) } } }
The company also wants to earn money with game. Schools and or educational institutions can purchase licenses, game costs five dollars per user and school year, which can quickly add up to a few hundred dollars a year for an average class. In addition, education edition only runs on computers with Windows 10. School members who purchase a Windows 10 license are allowed to use educational game for 12 months free of charge. Up to 30 students can log in to a Minecraft world that teacher has previously started. An external server is not necessary.
.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
The education edition has been adding many features since launch. This includes tools that help school classes to collaborate. In classroom mode, for example, teacher sees respective Minecraft world from above, has all students in view and can also admonish or sanction troublemakers among m directly via chat. With so-called border blocks, certain areas can be shut down, with disallow blocks preventing building on certain fields. With tables of different sizes, rules, formulas or game goals can be communicated. A particularly popular feature is portable in-game cameras that allow students to document solutions and learning progress.
This all sounds pretty promising. But of course, it is quite fundamental to ask wher games enrich school education.
Proponents believe that computer games can convey more vivid and playful knowledge than some or form of teaching. In fact, games have been in use at German schools for quite some time, such as Total War series in history lessons. In addition, pages such as game Advisor NRW are aimed specifically at teachers and students.
However, not only German schools are miles away from a nationwide game use, reservations are still great. The main arguments of opponents are essentially: computer games distract from actual teaching material, distort and simplify complex contexts. The schools also have to be technically well-equipped, teachers have to be technically proficient and can be trained in games.
