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Microsoft Expands Access to Minecraft: Education Edition and Resources to Help With Remote Learning

As COVID-19 concerns prompt closures of schools across the world many educators are using remote learning to keep students engaged. To aid teachers and students in staying connected to the classroom, Minecraft: Education Edition is now available until June 2020 for all learners and educators with a valid Office 365 Education account. Please fill out this form to verify your account and request access to Minecraft.



We have also created an exclusive Minecraft remote learning toolkit, which contains more than 50 lessons, STEM curriculums and project-based learning activities so educators can utilize Minecraft: Education Edition with their students whether they are at home, in school or in a different remote learning environment.



Features like classroom multiplayer allow students to work together on projects within their Minecraft worlds, building, planning, learning and even chatting while they work together. (Download this guide on how to play using Multiplayer Mode.) Students can utilize tools such as the Camera and Book & Quinl to take screenshots and write about their projects and then export their in-game portfolios to PDF when they are ready to submit their work.



"Distance learning requires students to be engaged in content in news ways," explains educator and Minecraft certified trainer Becky Keene. "As they work from home, they need to have environments and activities that encourage learners to study. Minecraft is a great tool for almost every subject and allows students to demonstrate their knowledge without a break!"



When students collaborate online in Minecraft: Education Edition, it offers new opportunities for them to develop the ability to communicate and solve problems together. Mark Henkels, a Minecraft educator in New York, says, "It's the social interaction that is the main reason the reason why Minecraft is so well-known and popular. This social interaction is the reason why Minecraft is such a an excellent educational experience."



Here's how to set up Minecraft Education Edition on your device or school:



First, go here to see if your school account is eligible. If you have a valid O365 EDU account, fill the form below to request access to Minecraft: Education Edition until June 2020. Download Minecraft Education Edition for Windows, Mac or iPad.



You can download and test a free lesson on Windows, Mac, or iPad even if you don't have an O365 EDU account. Learn about other Minecraft distance learning tools here.



Find 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, including modeling plant and animal cells, constructing historic monuments and creating a garden. - Join the 2020 Minecraft Education Challenge with your students using a customizable toolkit and solve real-world sustainability and inclusion problems. Learn more about a free, introductory online course for educators on the Microsoft Education Community (MEC) and also read this Starter Guide to learn the basics of teaching using Minecraft Education Edition. These build challenges are enjoyable and fast-paced ways to get students involved in STEM and storytelling. Learn to use different features for game setup assessment, classroom management and more by watching this YouTube video playlist.



Educational content available for Minecraft Bedrock:



We recently introduced a new category of educational worlds for Minecraft players everywhere on the Minecraft Marketplace to support families during school closures. The new Education Collection includes worlds you can play with your kids and familymembers, as well as creations by creators Everbloom, Jigarbov, Lifeboat, Razzleberries, The World Foundry, Blockworks and Imagiverse! These worlds are available for free until June 30 2020. Anyone with Minecraft for Bedrock can discover these worlds by launching Minecraft and visiting the in-game store.



While there isn't a quick solution for major disruptions, such as sudden school closures, we hope these resources can help teachers and students to stay connected and active in their learning. mc name 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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