Is Minecraft the Ultimate Educational Tool? | Idea Channel | PBS Digital Studios

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: to.pbs.org/donateidea
If you've watched past episodes of Idea Channel, you know we're huge fans of Minecraft. This totally amazing video game allows you to build your own world from scratch, what's not to like?!?! But it may be good for more than just fun and games. Some experts have brought Minecraft into the classroom, allowing teachers to customize lessons and students to engage with concepts in new ways. And while educational games aren't new, Minecraft has some unique advantages that could usher in a new direction in education. In the future, students across the world may spend their class time punching trees.
Let us know what sorts of crazy ideas you have, about this episode and otherwise:
Tweet at us! @pbsideachannel (yes, the longest twitter username ever)
Email us! pbsideachannel [at] gmail [dot] com
Idea Channel Facebook!
/ pbsideachannel
Hosted by Mike Rugnetta (@mikerugnetta)
Made by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)
Literary Links:
Classes using the game had significantly higher means than those classes that did not use the game:
www.dropbox.com/s/pzqv0rawrer...
Teachers documenting positive experiences w/ Minecraft:
minecraftedu.com/wiki/index.ph...
Video Links:
Will Minecraft and Makerbot Usher in the Post-Scarcity Economy?
• Will Minecraft and Mak...
MinecraftEdu Thoughts 02 - Probability and Gravity
• MinecraftEdu Thoughts ...
The Physics of Minecraft: Gravity
• The Physics of Minecra...
Minecraft Virtual Classroom #4 - Foreign Language
• Minecraft Virtual Clas...
A Sad Day on the Oregon Trail:
• Video
History of Latvia:
• History of Latvia
Teaching with Games: GLPC Case Study: Joel
• Teaching with Games: G...
Video Game High School:
• Video Game High School...
Music:
Roglok: vimeo.com/musicstore/track/21166
Binarpilot: www.jamendo.com/en/track/66141...
Level 5: Room for the Homeless www.jamendo.com/en/list/a10132...
Want some more Idea Channel?
Here's Last Week's episode: "What Does the Russian Meteorite Tell Us About Surveillance Culture?" • What Does the Russian ...
Want another one? Here ya go: "There's No Such Thing As Offline?!?" • There's No Such Thing ...
Here's Some More: "Are Bitcoins and Unusual Hats the Future of Currency?" • Are Bitcoins and Unusu...