We offer Minecraft professional development online workshops where educators can learn about the educational potential of Minecraft and game-based learning. The workshops are provided on an as-needed basis and are individually designed to fit the learning goals of the participants.
The cost of the workshop is approximately $30 per person for a one-hour online workshop, with lower costs for more people and greater duration.
Please contact us if you are interested in scheduling a workshop.
Here is an example of a two-day, four-hour workshop:
WORKSHOP DAY ONE
Time/Location
- Two hours
- Online inside Minecraft
Agenda
- Introduction to a Gameful Mindset
- Minecraft Team Activity
- Educational Applications of Minecraft
- Create Minecraft Lesson
1. Introduction to a Gameful Mindset (20 min)
2. Minecraft Team Activity (50 minutes)
- Build Aquarium
- Work in teams of 2
- Build for 30 minutes
- Build aquarium of specific internal volume = 24 cubic meters (1 block = 1 cubic meter)
- Blocks – use proportions of exactly 1/2 (any material) and 1/2 glass blocks
- Everyone views all of the finished aquariums
- Core Curriculum Standards for Sample Game
- 5MD.5a. Find the volume of a right rectangular prism with whole-number side lengths by packing it with unit cubes, and show that the volume is the same as would be found by multiplying the edge lengths, equivalently by multiplying the height by the area of the base.
- 6RP.3d. Use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.
- Traditional Version of Lesson
- Reflection/Discussion
3. Educational Applications of Minecraft (20 min)
Video examples
- Minecraft Physics Lesson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE9_YAXao3I
- Minecraft Respiratory System: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4W5WmlT2s0
- Minecraft Manzanar World War II Internment Camp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFaQ2v3NUX4
Minecraft Maps (walkthroughs)
- Roman Colosseum
- Taj Mahal
- Egypt
Minecraft Creations video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PxxzYdlv94
4. Create Minecraft Lesson (20 min)
- Select one or more academic standard(s)
- Create lesson outline
- Build sample in Minecraft
- Describe assessment (rubric or other)
DAY TWO
Time/Location
- Two hours
- Online inside Minecraft
Agenda
- Assessment Overview
- Storyboarding/Outlining
- Screen Capture
- Video/Audio Editing
- Video Sharing
- Reflection/Commenting
- Grading Rubrics
- Minecraft Education Communities
1. Assessment Overview (10 min)
- Discuss the benefits of creating movies as assessment for Minecraft (and GBL) activities
- Describe machinima and show some examples
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7V7-2kYVps – A Burning Passion
- Discuss formative assessment strategies
2. Storyboarding/Outlining (15 min)
- Discuss benefits of storyboarding and/or outlining your movie
- Present some tools and techniques to storyboard
- Have teachers create a 3-scene storyboard (or outline) for a sample movie based on their Day One project
3. Screen capture (15 min)
- Demonstrate using Bandicam tool (installation, use)
- Download and install (http://www.bandicam.com)
- General tab – change output folder (optional)
- FPS tab – uncheck “Overlay FPS”
- Start Minecraft
- Click F12 to start recording, F12 to stop recording
- Check and rename movie file after each recording.
4. Video/audio editing (30 min)
- Demonstrate using MovieMaker to add audio and title screens
- Create 3-5 minute video
- Show how to save finished file
5. Video sharing (10 min)
- Demonstrate uploading video to YouTube
6. Reflection/commenting (10 min)
- Discuss reflection/commenting phase – benefits, how-to
7. Grading rubrics (15 min)
- Discuss use of rubrics
- Discuss rubric categories
8. Minecraft education communities (10 min)
- Present various online communities