Does Minecraft have a place in education? Ireland thinks so

Minecraft will be given to secondary schools in Northern Ireland as part of a project organised by the annual CultureTECH festival and funded by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. The hugely popular building-block game will be supplied to 200 schools and 30 libraries and community organisations, which will all receive download codes for MinecraftEdu, the educational version of the game. Launched in 2011 by Swedish studio Mojang, Minecraft has sold more than 60m copies on PCs, smartphones, tablets and consoles. It generates a vast blocky landscape, then allows players to freely explore, constructing buildings and mining for minerals that can be crafted into useful items. The game was quickly recognised for its educational potential, offering children a compelling way of learning about architecture, agriculture and renewable resources. Copies soon started to appear on classroom computers around the world. “The level of engagement is the first thing you notice ,” said Mark Nagurski, chief executive of CultureTECH. “This is work that the kids really want to do and if you’re able to harness that enthusiasm, energy and creativity you end up with a pretty significant learning opportunity.