Notes

Microsoft Extends Access to Minecraft: Education Edition and Resources to Facilitate Remote Learning

As COVID-19 concerns prompt schools to close across the globe Many educators are turning to remote learning to keep students engaged. To help teachers and students stay connected to their classrooms, Minecraft: Education Edition is now available through June 2020 for all educators and learners who have a valid Office 365 Education account. Please complete this form to verify your account and request access to Minecraft.



We have also created a special Minecraft remote learning toolkit, that contains more than 50 lessons, STEM curriculum and projects-based learning activities that educators can use Minecraft: Education Edition with their students, whether they are at home, at school, or in a remote learning environment.



Features like classroom multiplayer allow students to collaborate on projects in their Minecraft worlds, building, planning, learning and even chatting as they work together. (Download this tutorial on using Multiplayer Mode.) When they are ready to write about their work and submit their assignments students can utilize tools like the Camera and Book & Quill, to take photographs and write about their projects and then export their portfolios from the game in PDF.



"Distance learning requires students to be engaged in engaging with content in a variety of ways," explains educator and Minecraft certified trainer Becky Keene. They require learning activities and environments that allow them to learn, since they work remotely. Minecraft can be used to support almost any content area and allows students to show me their learning without a pause!"



When students work via remote in Minecraft: Education Edition, it presents new opportunities for them to build communication and problem-solving skills together. Mark Henkels, a Minecraft educator in New York, says, "It's the social interaction that is the main reason why the game is so popular and great. This social interaction is what makes Minecraft such an excellent educational experience."






Here's how you can set up Minecraft Education Edition for your device or at school:


- First, check here to see if the school account is eligible. - If you have a valid O365 EDU account, fill out this form to request access to Minecraft: Education Edition through June 2020. Download Minecraft Education Edition for Windows, Mac or iPad.
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If you do not have a valid O365 EDU account, you can download and try a free demo lesson on Windows, Mac or iPad. Learn about other Minecraft distance learning resources here.






Explore free lessons online, online training, and distance learning projects for Minecraft Education Edition:


- Explore lessons in STEM language arts, history and more with the remote learning toolkit like modeling animal and plant cells, building historical monuments , and using coding to create an outdoor garden. Participate in the 2020 Minecraft Education Challenge with your students by using a programmable toolkit that can help solve real-world sustainability and inclusion challenges. - Take a free introduction online course for educators on the Microsoft Education Community (MEC) and check out this Starter Guide to learn the basics of teaching using Minecraft Education Edition. These build challenges are enjoyable fast-paced and innovative ways to engage students in STEM and storytelling. Learn to use various features to set up games, assessment and classroom management with this YouTube video playlist.






Educational content is available for Minecraft Bedrock:


We recently announced a brand new category of educational worlds for Minecraft players everywhere on the Minecraft Marketplace to assist families during school closings. The new Education Collection features worlds that you can play with your children and familymembers, as well as work by creators Everbloom, Jigarbov, Lifeboat, Razzleberries, The World Foundry, Blockworks and Imagiverse! These worlds can be downloaded for free until June 30, 2020. Anyone with Minecraft for Bedrock can access these worlds by starting Minecraft and visiting the in-game store.



Although there's no easy solution to major disruptions such as unexpected school closures, we hope these tools will help teachers and students to stay active and engaged in their learning. Feel free to share your tips on remote teaching and learning with the Minecraft Education Edition community on Twitter or Facebook.


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