Microsoft is buying the educational version of Minecraft and has plans to create a bigger and better version of the popular world-building video game that’s designed for classrooms.
The Redmond, Washington, software company will partner with TeacherGaming LLC, creator of MinecraftEdu, to transform that game into ‘Minecraft: Education Edition.’
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Microsoft is buying the educational version of Minecraft and has plans to create a bigger and better version of the popular world-building video game that’s designed for classrooms.
WHAT IS MINECRAFT?
Minecraft was created in 2009. At the start of the game, a player is put into a ‘virtually infinite game world.’
They can then walk around different terrains, including mountains, forests and caves. Players can also fly up in the air for a birds-eye view of the landscape.
Players are given blocks and tools to build towns and cities. As a player progresses they can earn advanced tools and building blocks in different materials.
The game was initially made for the PC but there are now Xbox 360 and mobile versions available.
Microsoft says the new version will add and expand features intended to make the game classroom friendly, including better maps and coordinates that will help teachers and students find their way around a Minecraft world together.
Developers will also beef up the game’s multi-player capabilities so that a classroom of up to 40 kids can work together.
The game lets players explore, fight monsters and build surprisingly complex structures – even electrical circuits – out of blocks.
You could easily use it to teach math, said Deirdre Quaranstrom, Microsoft’s director of Minecraft education.
But kids could also explore ancient temples in the game for a history class or view the inside of an eyeball as part of a science lesson.
Perks for educators include an online community with a mentorship program for connecting teachers experienced with Minecraft to those new to it.
The new game will be available this summer, with free trials available for teachers and students. Microsoft will announce pricing details before the end of the current school year, but says it currently plans to keep the price at $5 per user per year.
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Minecraft history: Pupils will be able to tour historic buildings together in the game – and see how they were constructed
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Kids could also explore ancient temples in the game for a history class or view the inside of an eyeball as part of a science lesson, Microsoft says.
‘Of course, every Minecraft player learns essential life-skills like tree-punching and good Creeper-defence but, when used in the right way, Minecraft can help people around the world to learn lots more,’ Mojang, the game’s developed said.
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Minecraft founder Markus Persson sold Minecraft to Microsoft in September, in a deal that was said to be worth $2.5 billion (£1.5 billion). The latest Windows Phone version (pictured) includes all of Minecraft’s mobile features, including Survival mode, Creative mode and multiplayer features when played on Wi-Fi networks
‘Over the past few years, educators around the world have been using Minecraft to explore subjects that might not spring to mind when you think of our block-based game.
Since 2011, MinecraftEdu – a version of Minecraft built for the classroom – has been used in over 40 countries. Lots of people have learned loads of things since then.’
MINECRAFT INVENTOR HAS ‘NEVER FELT MORE ISOLATED’ SINCE SELING FIRM FOR £1.5 BILLION
Minecraft inventor Markus Persson claims he’s ‘never felt more isolated’ since selling his company Mojang AB to Microsoft for £1.5billion.
In a series of a downhearted tweets, the Swede spoke of how he disliked his new-found wealth and felt unchallenged and empty.
He wrote: ‘The problem with getting everything is you run out of reasons to keep trying, and human interaction becomes impossible due to imbalance.
‘Hanging out in Ibiza with a bunch of friends and partying with famous people, able to do whatever I want, and I’ve never felt more isolated.
‘In Sweden, I will sit around and wait for my friends with jobs and families to have time to do shit, watching my reflection in the monitor.’
Persson has a personal fortune of around £1billion, according to Forbes estimates.
Minecraft creator’s $70m mansion dwarfs Jordan’s home
Development of Minecraft: Education Edition will be shaped by a community of educators thanks to education.minecraft.net.
The site will host lesson plans and give Minecraft: Education Edition users somewhere to discuss ideas and provide feedback.
‘We know teachers can be a rowdy bunch, so we’re looking into the best ways to moderate the forums as I type. Wish us luck.’
(Photo : Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) MIAMI, UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 15: An XBox 360 Minecraft game is seen at a GameStop store on Septemeber 15, 2014 in Miami, Florida. Microsoft today announced it will acquire video game maker Mojang and its popular Minecraft game for $2.5 billion.
So many kids play “Minecraft.” In fact, they are so crazy about it that they can spend hours upon hours building, mining and running away from monsters that come out at night.
Minecraft was launched by Mojang in November of 2011. It is a sandbox-style building game that comes in two modes: adventure and creative. It allows players to build anything and everything they want and encourages them to be as creative as they can be. Ever since the game has been made available to various platforms and a multiplayer mode was introduced, it has challenged kids’ imagination and visual skills.
Games experience a lot of backlashes, but what people might not remember is that they have been used as effective tools to effectively teach children. Educational games were a staple in most schools, with some even reserving special computer time for students.
According toChild Development Info, though games may be extremely different now, the only thing that’s really changed is the way they look and the way they are marketed. So how can a fun and an extremely enjoyable game be beneficial to kids? Well, it actually teaches kids various concepts.
Simple Programming and Machines
There is a structure called the Redstone circuit in “Minecraft” that can be built to control mechanisms. When children experiment with the Redstone circuit, they can learn and understand ideas such as how electricity works, as well as come up with simple machines and think of how they can create them. They will understand the importance of timing and will be forced to come up with solutions to get their desired results. In “Minecraft,” redstone circuits can be used to create railways, lighting that can be activated at night and automated doors.
Sense of Direction
“Minecraft” is also a great way to help kids develop their sense of direction. In the game, it is important that they recognize their location based on the landmarks available. It can also help kids come up with ways to count the distance from one point to another, allowing them to calculate and estimate how many blocks they would need to build a bridge, a house, etc.
Significance of Planning Ahead
Children about to play Minecraft without a plan may get overwhelmed easily or find themselves spending a lot of time thinking about what to build. This teaches them the importance of determining what their goals are and what they need to get there. They will be able to carry this concept as they grow older and apply them in real-life situations. And plans need not be elaborate at this point. Drawing or sketching what they want to build and simply having a general idea of what they want to achieve is already teaching them the significance of planning ahead. You can also decide to set time limits so children can better understand the importance of having a plan, especially when under time pressure.
Endurance and Problem-Solving
Minecraft encourages children to come up with solutions to the problems they will encounter. There are problems such as zombie attacks and scarcity of food that children will have to deal with.
Mathematics
Minecraft is a great way to help children develop their math skills. The game is comparable to a large grid. When children want to build a structure that is 8 squares wide and 10 squares long, they would have to calculate the total number of blocks they need to complete their project.
These are just a few of the concepts which Minecraft teaches children.Life Hackalso listed some benefits that children can get from the block game including enhanced creativity, teamwork and research management.
Just a week ago,Microsoftannounced the new education edition, which can be used to teach children more in-depth topics such as historical landmarks, molecular structures and provide them with visual but fun explanations of concepts such as area, mass and volume.
Who needs a vacation to the Carribeans when you can just boot up this lovelyAssassin’s CreedHavana map inMinecraft? The majority of people, probably. But hey, it’s still a pretty cool build.
It’s cool enough to have its very own trailer, even:
It’s understandable, considering the map has been under construction since 2013. It was created by a team of builders led by Xtr3mScorch, who also made a similar map forAC: Revelations’Constantinople, tracking progress for both projectsin this Minecraftforum thread.
The Havana map comes with its own resource pack, which you’ll pretty much have to use, else everything will look like a weird mishmash of random blocks:
If you’d like to explore yourself, you can download the map following the link in the trailer’s description here. Otherwise, here’s some screenshots, with the in-game pics I’ve snapped at the bottom:
Dayshot is an image-based feature that runs every morning, showcasing some of the prettiest, funniest game-related screenshots and art we can find. Send us suggestions if you’ve got them.
Could Minecraft be part of your child’s curriculum someday?
Microsoft has acquired MinecraftEdu and is looking for ways to help develop young problem-solvers with analytical minds. Is this a good idea?
Image: Microsoft News
An Official Microsoft Blog post byAnthony Salcito, published on January 19, 2016, announced thatMicrosoft has acquired MinecraftEduand is investing in a customized version of the game Minecraft that could be used as a classroom learning tool. Like me, your first reaction to this news is probably one of skepticism and perhaps even derision. But when you think about it more deeply, the concept of using a game environment as a teaching mechanism for children, if implemented correctly, is really not a bad idea.
Minecraft
Without going into much detail, Minecraft is a virtual environment where the players build, refine, change, and destroy a virtual world of their creation using building blocks. What gets made in this virtual world is limited only by the players’ imaginations. There are also multiplayer environments that allow players to cooperate in the creation of their world.
Each building block has properties that can be used to create simple procedural programs. By combining many simple procedures, players can create very complicated machines. One of my favorites is thisscientific calculator(video). Using Minecraft, this person created what is essentially a virtual mechanical scientific calculator. This takes some incredible focus and organization of thought.
If students using Minecraft as an educational tool can achieve even a small improvement in critical and analytical thinking, it is well worth the unconventional nature of the activity.
Gaming raises skill
As someone who has played video games since the early 1980s, I can attest to the power of gaming to help shape the mind. The strategy games I played back then (and still do today) helped me learn how to think both tactically and strategically. The adventure games taught me the benefits of thinking outside the box. Later, the first person shooters honed my abilities to think quickly and focus.
Back in the “old days,” gamers not only had to know how to play a game, they also had to know how to get a game to run in the first place. Under DOS, to get games to work, one had to know about batch files, and subdirectories, and file structures. This is how a career devoted to explaining how technology works was started.
Work of the future
The Information Age has changed the way society does just about everything. At TechRepublic we have been talking aboutbig dataand theInternet of Thingsfor years now. However, these concepts are no longer phenomena of the future; they are a reality. The amount of data being collected on everything you and I do, on every transaction that takes place, is mind-boggling.
To sift through this ever increasing mountain of data we are going to need well-trained minds. We need minds that can analyze trends, that can see patterns, that can formulate plans of action, and that can imagine where those actions will eventually lead.
Microsoft funding a project to transform Minecraft into a learning tool that educators can use to help develop those analytical minds we need is a good thing. Sure it’s a bit unconventional—and some skeptics will downplay the benefits. But any attempt to create people who can analyze and solve problems on the fly is well worth the effort, don’t you think?
Minecraft: Pocket Edition gets a beta update — here’s what new and different
Above: Minecraft is changing on your smartphones and tablets.
Image Credit: Mojang
Minecraft on iOS and Android is still well behind its PC and console counterparts, but it is slowly catching up.
Developer Mojang updated the beta version of Minecraft: Pocket Edition to version 0.14.0 today. This patch introduces a number of widely requested features, such as cauldrons and slime blocks. With more than 30 million copies of Minecraft: Pocket Edition sold, this is one of the most successful premium-priced games ($7 in the App Store and on Google Play) ever released for mobile devices. And those fans will likely welcome this update that closes the gap between their preferred version and Minecraft proper.
Among the in-game changes this update brings (which we’ll list below), Mojang is considering using this as a jumping off point for eliminating support for iPad 1 and iPod Touch 4 because. Those devices do not support iOS 7, and almost no one uses them, according to the game’s developer.
We’ll see if that drastic update goes through when 0.14.0 leaves beta later this year.
As for the rest of the changes, here are the big additions in 0.14.0:
New achievements
Maps
Witches
Cauldrons: For brewing potions
Droppers: Let you quickly drop items into a chest
Hoppers: Also drop items into a chest
Dispensers: A block that can dispense stored items on demand
Slime blocks: Craftable blocks that you can bounce on
The forthcoming Minecraft: Education Edition, written in C++, looks faster and smoother than the old Java version, but won’t be compatible with all the old mods. If Microsoft mis-handles the transition, a split could damage the Minecraft community that underpins the game’s stunning success….
Image credit: Microsoft
This summer, Microsoft will release a beta ofMinecraft: Education Editionwritten in C++ rather than Java, which looks like removing the performance problems associated with running the current version of Minecraft. The Education Edition should run well on the types of Windows laptop commonly found in schools, and in homes.
Microsoft announced the Education Edition at the BETT 2016 educational technology exhibition held last week in London. Microsoft also announced that it hadpurchased MinecraftEDU, an educational version of Minecraft, from Teacher Gaming LLC. (SeeMicrosoft acquires MinecraftEdu from Teacher Gaming.) MinecraftEDU will not be developed any further, but most of its features will be implemented in the Education Edition.
Minecraft: Education Edition also builds on and extends the Windows 10 version of Minecraft. This is based on the Pocket Edition of Minecraft (MCPE), which is written in C++, not in Java. At BETT, a Microsoft programmer told me that the aim for the Education Edition was to support all the features of the Java version. It will also include extra features that will enable teachers to control large multi-player sessions, including new commands such as Build Allow and Build Deny.
In schools and colleges that use Office 365, students will be able to log on to Minecraft using their Office credentials. Alternatively, the Education Edition can easily be set up on a peer-to-peer classroom network, without a server.
At BETT, early versions of the Education Edition were running impressively smoothly with high-resolution graphics settings on the Minecraft stand.
It remains to be seen how much of the Java version can be incorporated in the C++ version, which runs on Windows 10 PCs, tablets, smartphones and games consoles. It should be possible to import worlds, skins, maps and similar mods. However, mods written in Java code will not be compatible.
The Education Edition is both a solution and a problem for both Microsoft and the Minecraft community. It looks like providing the higher performance that Minecraft players have wanted for years. However, removing the ability to create Java-style mods might well diminish the community supporting the game. That would be extremely bad news for Microsoft, and for its$2.5 billion investment in Mojang, Minecraft’s developer.
What follows is speculation….
At the moment, it looks as though there will be two versions of Minecraft – a Standard Edition and an Education Edition – with the latter feeding off the former. At first, these will have somewhat different features and capabilities, and different target audiences.
In the future, however, it seems likely that most Minecraft players will learn the new C++ version first, either in schools or on their own Windows 10 laptops, or via the Pocket edition on smartphones, tablets, and games consoles. The old Java version could therefore see a relative decline: its users may become just a small minority of the expanded market.
Obviously, Mac OS X and Linux have no problems running C++ code, but it remains to be seen whether Microsoft will port the Education Edition to these rival platforms. If it doesn’t, Windows 10 will have an advantage in the education market. If it does, it could be the beginning of the end for the Java version. Why support two code-bases if you only need one?
