David Lee EdTech

Objective: Develop Civic Competence Create a culture for their community Adapt to environment Experience interactions among other individuals and groups (communication/collaborative skills) Develop structures of governing power and authority Understand the interdependence of communities Develop ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship Here is what happened during the last three days of Minecraft club: Community 1: The community improved their tools for more efficient and productive work.  The blacksmith created full sets of armor for their soldiers. They moved their farm to a larger and safer area to produce more food (2). A member from the other community came their base to ask if he could join them. The majority of the community voted for him to be accepted into the community (3, 4).  Community 2: Members mentioned that the commands given were not productive (3) Advanced players were always separate from the rest of the grou...

It all started with two passionate 5th graders who visited my computer lab during lunch recess. The two students were playing Minecraft to collaboratively build a small house. Their fervent conversation about the online game got my attention, and I saw an immediate potential in using the game in an educational setting. So I asked the boys if I could sit with them and ask them a few questions about the game. Click on the image below to see our conversation.   After a week of thinking, I decided to create a unit on civic competence that would integrate Minecraft game play. Here is the unit summary : Students will learn to build constructions with digital tools and textured cubes in an online 3D procedurally generated world. This 3D world consists of the same properties that exist in the real world, such as weather conditions, natural resources, living things, habitats, and agriculture. The simulation also provides players with health bar and hunger bar that they will need to maintai...