Minecraft: Education – worlds of possibility
With over nine hundred primary schools across the island of Ireland participating in Ireland’s Future Is MINE last year, many teachers have wanted to learn more about the role of Minecraft Education within their classrooms and how these worlds can enhance lessons and provide opportunities to learn curricular content in new ways for pupils. Well, this is your chance to join the Microsoft Dream Space team and do just that!
Join the team in Microsoft Dream Space (One Microsoft Place, Leopardstown, Dublin) to take part in two days of hands-on, curricular focused lessons that can be adapted for both lower and upper primary school classrooms. At the end of these two days, you will leave this course with confidence in the use of Minecraft Education (and its classroom specific features) and empowered with the knowledge of how this sandbox game can open entirely new worlds of possibility for the next academic year.
Technical Requirements
All our courses require broadband Internet access and participants need to be familiar with using the internet, downloading and installing software.
Download Minecraft Education on your device
Course Objectives
Participants will familiarise themselves with Minecraft Education and how game-based learning can be used to create new teaching and learning opportunities in their classrooms.
Use Minecraft as a player to learn the controls, crafting, and game features necessary to gain confidence about game-based learning.
Discover strategies, tips, and tricks to integrate Minecraft into the classroom, learning what works for other teachers and explore the range of Minecraft teaching and learning resources that can be used in the classroom.
Participants will understand how to apply the SSE guidelines, LAOS 2022 and the Digital Learning Framework to their own teaching and understand how developing their own ICT practice can have an impact at school level.
Expected Outcomes
Participants will learn about the educational potential of Minecraft and game-based learning and be introduced to the Education Edition, designed to make it easier to use in schools.
In face-to-face workshops: and online, participants will learn to play Minecraft Education, explore its in-built library of lessons plans and create curriculum and classroom resources that they can take back to their classrooms.
Course Duration
August 14th & 15th – DreamSpace One Microsoft Place, Leopardstown, Dublin
Online: August 16th to August 18th
This is a blended course, 2 Days in DreamSpace workshops and the remainder (Approx 12 hours) of the course online at teachnet.ie, between August 17th and 19th. Participants are required to attend the DreamSpace workshops and engage meaningfully with online content for approximately 8 hours. Whilst participation and engagement with the course content will be primarily judged on the quality of their contributions, an attendance roll will be kept and a log of their time spent working online.
DreamSpace Workshops August 14th & 15th
Draft Agenda for Face-to-face workshops
09:30-09:45 – Daily Intro and WALT
09:45-11:00- Activity One
11:00-11:20- Break
11:20- 1:00 – Activity Two
1:00-1:40- Lunch 1:40- 2:30 – Activity Three
Course Authors
Michael Barrett is a STEM Education Specialist and qualified primary school teacher known for his work in Minecraft Education and community development. As part of Dream Space at Microsoft, he provides engaging STEAM experiences to students and teachers. With a passion for game-based learning, visual programming, and bridging digital divides between urban and rural areas, Michael is recognized for his enthusiasm and creativity. Currently, as a STEM Specialist at Microsoft, he leads the Minecraft Education pillar, supporting teachers and students in becoming digitally prepared in using this new learning tool. He also develops curriculum-aligned content and contributes to partnerships with universities. Michael’s notable projects include web series like “Dream Space TV: Crafting Creativity” and “Dream Space ByteSize,” promoting spatial thinking and computational skills among primary school students.
Neeve Hyland is a qualified primary school teacher and a Dream Space Learning Specialist at Microsoft. In her role, she provides engaging STEAM experiences to students and teachers as part of Dream Space. Neeve has a particular interest in STEM education for early childhood and primary school students, actively collaborating with trainee teachers from various universities across Ireland to enhance STEM education practices and strategies. She is involved in developing curriculum-aligned content and fostering partnerships with universities. Neeve has worked on notable projects such as the web series “Dream Space TV: Crafting Creativity,” which promotes spatial thinking and computational skills among primary school students. Additionally, she is involved in the “Dream Space Ambassador Program,” a flagship Dream Space Student Leadership and training program designed for students who have a passion for learning and a willingness to support, train, and mentor other students and teachers by pioneering the Dream Space STEAM experience in their schools.
