Q0: Welcome to the #MinecraftEDU Weekly EdChat. Please Introduce yourself, Name, Role, Location, and what fun activities do you participate in with other members of your school community?
Q0: Welcome to the #MinecraftEDU Weekly EdChat. Please Introduce yourself, Name, Role, Location, and what fun activities do you participate in with other members of your school community?
A0: Sarah, Digital Content Producer for a museum in Toronto, trying to figure out ways to reward student cooperation over conflict on the pilot server. #minecraftedu
A0. Steve from NJ - I teach game design and development to awesome middle school students. I really need to organize some after school gaming with our staff. #staffgameclub. #minecraftedu. I did get a bunch of our staff into #VR at a staff edcamp
Q0: Welcome to the #MinecraftEDU Weekly EdChat. Please Introduce yourself, Name, Role, Location, and what fun activities do you participate in with other members of your school community?
I'm Fenice, a pre-service teacher at the University of Georgia. I'm trying to learn more about the use of video games in education #minecraftedu#edit2000E
A1: this is the beauty of social gaming. Our game club is an amazing inclusive community. It’s a joy to see this affinity group in action. #minecraftedu
A1: to be honest, I haven’t seen it between and among staff; but between and among students and their teacher, it’s constantly happening — my approach is to use “the long leash” #Minecraftedu
A1 I love having an authentic, enthusiastic, and honest discussions with students that I play with, giving and getting feedback on designs etc. #MinecraftEdu
A1: Games have helped me connect with educators, such as in this chat, both virtually and face to face. It has also helped me connect with students, especially those who have not connected with other peers/educators. #MinecraftEdu
A1: I do also think that clubs help a lot! Takes the pressure off from classroom activities and assessments. Lowers the affective filter. Can make it more social and engaging. So, it isn’t always the content but the context that shifts behavior #Minecraftedu
While #studentteaching, games were an excellent way to establish rapport with students. Talking about #MinecraftEdu also helped me break the ice with other teachers in my building, too!
A1: Minecraft is still too new to have seen anything in our department, but I've admired for years the work @danielhkwan has done with D&D in the museum context. #minecraftedu
A1: Personally I use Minecraft to promote teamwork and positive social skills among my students. I also use games with @WonderWorkshop to establish a positive environment in my technology classes. #MinecraftEDU
Q2: Have you ever used games, like Minecraft, or other digital or “analog” games with staff or students with the intentional outcome of improving relationships? What was the outcome? #MinecraftEDU
Q2: Have you ever used games, like Minecraft, or other digital or “analog” games with staff or students with the intentional outcome of improving relationships? What was the outcome? #MinecraftEDU
A1: At my placement, students use Prodigy, a math RPG game, that allows students to battle each other in solving math problem. While this context is more competitive, students seem more comfortable and willing to help each other solve the problems. #minecraftedu#edit2000E
A2: I’ve played with students during our #lunchbunch and #gameclub but it’s really because I enjoy playing with them. The relationship part is the positive byproduct when it’s authentic #minecraftedu
Q2: Have you ever used games, like Minecraft, or other digital or “analog” games with staff or students with the intentional outcome of improving relationships? What was the outcome? #MinecraftEDU
I do appreciate the narrative elements of @ProdigyGame I think that they do a good job about getting kids excited about Casting Mathematical "Spells." I do wish there was more in-game learning being taught. I have not used it in about a year now, so may have evolved #MinecraftEDU
One example of how I used a game to build relationships was when I created my "All About Me" @breakoutEDU game. Beats a page of facts about me. Then students had opportunity to create their own questions/clues/puzzles. #MinecraftEdu
Prodigy has yet to include in-game learning which is a bit disappointing, but they have definitely gotten better at tailoring the math problems to the students' needs! #minecraftedu#edit2000E
A2: Yes! integrating @PlayCraftLearn in class is a huge turning point for my classroom. I managed to improve the relationship between my Ss and I and managed to bring 'happiness' in my classroom. #minecraftedu
A2: I keep a bunch of games on hand for quick pickup during breaks and odd moments. Kids know where to go once they see the stash. But to intentionally foster positivity, I’ll admit I do that always organically. #Minecraftedu
A2: I keep a bunch of games on hand for quick pickup during breaks and odd moments. Kids know where to go once they see the stash. But to intentionally foster positivity, I’ll admit I do that always organically. #Minecraftedu
A2: We held a family game night and a teacher game night when I was at Woodbury. Such incredible ways to connect with unlikely staff members, students and families! #MinecraftEDU
Q3: What sorts of interactions have you encountered, either first-hand or through observation, that had a negative impact on yourself or your students, while engaging in gaming? #MinecraftEDU
Q3: What sorts of interactions have you encountered, either first-hand or through observation, that had a negative impact on yourself or your students, while engaging in gaming? #MinecraftEDU
we have kids with emotional needs during the games such as soccer, follow rules and play fair, and it could be amazing to simulate games in Minecraft so they can learn skills without any physical damage in other kids! #MinecraftEdu
@nayrbgo Yes, when we force games it breaks one of the cardinal rules of games, which is they must be voluntary. If we are not free to play, is it really a game? #MinecraftEdu
A3: One issue I've observed is students not knowing the rules or being discouraged by complex or hard-to-remember rules. Sometimes simpler is better, but then again, other students like the complex games. #MinecraftEdu
Q3: What sorts of interactions have you encountered, either first-hand or through observation, that had a negative impact on yourself or your students, while engaging in gaming? #MinecraftEDU
A3: One activity that blew up in my face (not literally, no TNT was involved) was when we had a community building game in #MinecraftEDU and Ss built a police station and lured others into the jail in the basement and then lit the police station on fire. I learned a lot from that
A3: Cont - However, it did lead to a good classroom discussion and we never repeated the incident. It was like it had to happen in order for us to get better. 1 Step back, 2 steps forward. #MinecraftEDU
A3: I noticed that when a student(s) become pushy or aggressive during a game, whether competitive or otherwise, other students withdraw from the activity. It becomes less of a game and more of a chore for them as they work to appease this student. #minecraftedu#edit2000E
How do you see #MinecraftEDU fit into this, because it can be such a simple at the core, but can grow to great levels of complexity, especially with varying skill levels in the same class/group. #MinecraftEDU
A1 I’ve seen groups play together over breaks and the weekends. I know it helped some Ss that didn’t have parents home much to have that connection to their teacher and classmates #MinecraftEDU
It is so important to model good behavior not just in classroom, or online, but in immersive/virtual settings, like the gaming community as well. #MinecraftEDU
Right, and complexity is actually really good when it forms naturally as students play. For example, asking students to develop a list of game play rules as they play is more accessible for students than a 10 page rule book given out on Day 1. #MinecraftEdu
A2 yes I’ve had team builds that promoted group planing, cooperation, organization and sharing. The class was excited to see end results. Ss learned a lot, it wasn’t always an easy road for all the groups #MinecraftEDU
Was this for a specific subject or a club? I love cooperative builds, especially in the style of a timed build-battle. Adds so much fun and creativity to a challenge. #MinecraftEDU
Q4: How do you ensure that game-play is fair and equitable for all learners, allowing equal access time for all players, regardless of race, gender, or expertise in the game, and allowing each gamers voice to be heard and expressed? #MinecraftEDU
Q4: How do you ensure that game-play is fair and equitable for all learners, allowing equal access time for all players, regardless of race, gender, or expertise in the game, and allowing each gamers voice to be heard and expressed? #MinecraftEDU
A3: When students play rough and they destroy instead of build, students become less motivated and the project doesn’t end well! That’s why we need the classroom mode, and rules set by each team to minimize this behavior. #MinecraftEDU
A4: in my case, I am fortunate and I use 1:1 computer so they connect to one computer and they play equally. I use @GoogleForEdu to establish the research and the planning before get into Minecraft! #MinecraftEDU
So in this video, you see kids collaborating in MinecraftPE. These boys were not friends before working together in game towards a common goal. #MinecraftEDU
A4 when ever I have assigned Minecraft I have always made sure I had a spare computer with it downloaded at school so kids that didn’t have it could use it. I also had peer mentors that helped those with little experience or had them over to build #MinecraftEDU
That's awesome! I had some student mentors of my own. One in fact got so tired of asking me questions, particulraly about RedStone, that he gave me the Redstone Beginners guide (You know that maroon colored book with gold font). #MinecraftEDU
A3: I keep finding it a head-scratcher that even when the game is clearly set up to reward cooperation and harshly punish conflict or theft, students still opt for the latter. Not sure if it's unclear communication or the training of "regular" games. #minecraftedu
A4: We've built in a pre-session in a Tutorial Town so everyone has a chance to get to know the game, with added layers of world lore for those who already play a lot. Thinking after experiences in this pilot run that we make it mandatory. #minecraftedu
Could it also be the type of gamer that the child is. @MatthewFarber has turned me on to @amyjokim Social Matrix and he just recommended another one, which I have forgotten. #MinecraftEdu
In reply to
@MuseumGirlSarah, @MatthewFarber, @amyjokim
Q5: After the completion of the game, what reflective tools or processes have you used, or would like to use, in order to foster more positive social and emotional interactions, classroom or school-wide? #MinecraftEDU
Q5: After the completion of the game, what reflective tools or processes have you used, or would like to use, in order to foster more positive social and emotional interactions, classroom or school-wide? #MinecraftEDU
A4: I always teach students the appropriate ways/language to use in communicating their frustration with a game or person, so it's clear that abusive language that takes issue with a student's identity rather than their actions is unacceptable #edit2000E#minecraftedu
A5: I love this question, though I don't have an answer for it. Reflection is a big part of academic growth as well as social and emotional growth! #MinecraftEdu
A4: been thinking on this a while — I approach gaming and everything tech and ed as an open conversation — I never expect to be correct but always expect honesty and engagement from myself — so as a model to follow, there I am ♥️ #Minecraftedu
It's possible. Will have to check it out! Looking forward to debriefing with the students and their teacher as well. I would give my eye-teeth for a test class close enough to be able to observe onsite. Unfortunately our local board still has the thickest firewall. #MinecraftEdu
A5: You may find this hard to believe, but I actually use Twitter after games to post and share. I find it lowers my own sense of risk and gives me feedback. I tag staff members so they get the likes/retweets as well and the little ego boosts (dopamine) #MinecraftEDU
As an English teacher, writing is always the go-to reflection method, which could be accomplished in-part in the game. #MinecraftEdu also has the portfolio feature that could make for some great inspiration for reflection with the in-game screenshots.
This is brilliant! Even if we think we "know it" and have expected or intended outcomes, there are always those unintended outcomes. Love how you keep it a sandbox! #MinecraftEDU
A5: Working with classroom teachers in the pilot to create a feedback method that works well for students. Currently a combination of docs/form and in-game books. I definitely want to factor into the debrief with students their ideas on what would work for them. #minecraftedu
Q6: Outro: Thank You for joining the conversation. Please reiterate your: Name, Role, Location, and share your most significant learning or favorite tweet of the #MinecraftEDU Chat.
Outro: Thank You for joining the conversation. Please reiterate your: Name, Role, Location, and share your most significant learning or favorite tweet of the #MinecraftEDU Chat.
A5: as a reflection process I ask Ss to create a movie with their world explained. I use screencast, google drive and iMovie using iPads. At the end the best teams participate in our technology symposium, I am sending some photos of what I do #MinecraftEDU
Outro: Mark G, elementary educator, tech director, Minecraft Trainer, Mentor, Consultant and Co-founder of the Chat. Really appreciated all the comments, by @nayrbgo open-ended approach to gaming and acting as a model that may not have all the answers was brilliant! #MinecraftEDU
A6: I'm Chris, pre-service English teacher from rural PA. I love how #MinecraftEdu teaches me new things and helps generate new ideas. Easy to do with so many awesome educators and partners!
