Notes

Minecraft used To Teach Children Molecular Chemistry

Minecraft used to teach children molecular chemical



Virtual world-building game Minecraft, played by tens of millions of kids around the world, could be used in schools to teach children the basics of chemistry.



A group of Hull University students created an educational version of the game that allows players to investigate specially designed molecular structures and understand the science behind.



The aim is to engage young scientists in a fun and interactive way.



Minecraft players build with blocks to construct structures and landscapes.



They are encouraged to search for treasure and other things.



'Fiendishly difficult'



Joel Mills, a Minecraft expert at the university, and Dr Mark Lorch, a senior lecturer in the field of biological chemical chemistry, helped the students create the project.



Dr Lorch declared that "Minecraft is an incredible tool for examining the structure of buildings and landscapes, and also anatomy."
Servers


"So why not molecules?" It was demonstrated to a class of kids yesterday, and there were many gasps and wows.



"This grabs their attention. It's a novel approach to engage them and provide information to them.



Students have also created a myriad of surprises for children to discover and explore in addition to molecules and structures.



Dr Lorch said: "You can just explore and learn about the molecules. There are also a lot of treasure chests which contain books, puzzles, and goodies.



"Some are easy to locate but others are extremely difficult to find. If you find them all , you'll likely have learned a lot of chemistry on the way."



Outreach



Dr Lorch who also plays a role to engage young people in science, added: "If I've given them this information in a Minecraft world and showed how to access it, then they're much more likely to go and find out about it than if I have given it in a PowerPoint presentation."



The Hull team is currently testing the game, MolCraft, in secondary schools in London as part of a range of outreach projects for universities.



It is also used in primary schools for teaching basic science, such as how the atoms are created to create molecules.



It is also available on Minecraft's educational library, which contains versions for teachers and pupils.



This is not the first time Minecraft has been used to engage children with scientific topics.



A world has been designed to teach quantum physics, and many schools in Northern Ireland are using an modified version to encourage writers and encourage young people in urban planning.



Unique Minecraft project for schools



25 March 2015



University of Hull


My Website: https://ianblog.com/