eDU – ressurser for undervisning og læring

eDU
Develop your teaching Start here Plan your teaching Active students Learning methods Flipped classroom Game-based learning Active Learning Classroom (ALC) COIL: Internationalise your course Assessment and exams Student assessment: more than just the examination Digital tests Online teaching Online pedagogy: becoming an online teacher Building relations online Hybrid teaching Supervision Collective Academic Supervision Digital tools Get started Canvas Zoom Panopto Active learning Mentimeter Digital learning materials Use of video in the learning process Create high-quality screen recordings with ScreenPal What can eDU do for you? Service and advice Audio and video production Pedagogical development Digital tools support Teaching quality at USN OLA - Onboarding Learning Alliance Merit recognition program University pedagogy (course 1 and 2) Webinars Courses and Webinars Webinar archive This is eDU Contact us eDU blog eDU podcast Network for learning at USN Network for playful learning
To usn.no east
no Menu close

Minecraft Education

Minecraft Education is used in many Norwegian schools. It is now available for USN students and staff. Discover how you can start using this game with your students.

Skjermdump fra spillet Minecraft Education til illustrasjon
Skjermdump fra spillet Minecraft Education til illustrasjon
Skjermdump fra spillet Minecraft Education til illustrasjon

This page is developed in collaboration with DigTekLab (USN HIU).

What is Minecraft Education?

Minecraft is a Swedish video game where players build structures and survive in an open world. In 2016 the education version of the game was launched. It is now used in many schools all over the country.

Magnus Sandberg (USN HIU) has taught with Minecraft and researched its use:

A lot of Minecraft's success is linked to how it opens up for infinite ways of playing. The same can be said for learning activities in Minecraft Education. In Minecraft, the students can roleplay or compete, they can interact with environments and structures built beforehand or build something on their own. The latter can be done by stacking blocks, by making advances machines in the game, or by coding the game itself.

Teaching with and within Minecraft

Minecraft Education is most often used with school children. However, there is no limit for how it can be used in the classroom. At USN, Minecraft will probably be more useful for teacher education. Magnus Sandberg tells us a bit about the teacher's role:

Minecraft opens up for explorative, creative and constructive activities. There are so many possibilities that it can be challenging for teachers to get an overview. So my advice for teachers who would like to get started is: use student active learning! Find students who can be resource persons when playing the game (or find help in a different student group). Remain your usual self and open up for an equal dialog about the potential of using the game in your subject. There is then no limit to what you can create together.

You can explore course ideas in many different subjects (e.g., science, history, art) on Minecraft's webpage.

Do you need support?

If you encounter any technical issues, please contact IT-support. 

Teacher educators can also contact DigTekLab to explore together Minecraft Education or other educational digital tools.

Resources

  • Farber, M. (2021). Gaming SEL: Games as transformational to social and emotional learning. Peter Lang.
  • Hanghøj, T., & Hautopp, H. (2016). Teachers’ Pedagogical Approaches to Teaching with Minecraft.
  • Kabel, K., Svarstad, L. K., & Hanghøj, T. (2017). Børns semiotiske erfaringer i relation til Minecraft. Sprogforum. Tidsskrift for sprog- og kulturpædagogik, 23(65), 42–48. https://doi.org/10.7146/spr.v23i65.112854
  • Marlatt, R. (2018). Literary Analysis Using Minecraft: An Asian American Youth Crafts Her Literacy Identity. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 62(1), 55–66. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.747
  • Sandberg, M. H. (2019). «Slipp fangene fri!» – om makt og frigjøring i Minecraft: Education Edition. Journal for Research in Arts and Sports Education, 3(1), 23–42. https://doi.org/10.23865/jased.v3.1330