p>Many teachers are turning to remote learning to keep their students engaged due to COVID-19-related school closures all over the globe. To ensure that students and teachers stay connected to the classroom, Minecraft: Education Edition is now available through June 2020 for all educators and learners who have a valid Office 365 Education account. https://minecraft-servers.info/ Please fill out this form to confirm your account and request access to Minecraft.
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p>We also have compiled an exclusive Minecraft remote learning toolkit that includes more than 50 lessons, STEM curriculum and project-based learning activities so educators can utilize Minecraft: Education Edition with their students whether they are in school, at home or in a different remote learning environment.
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p>Features like classroom multiplayer allow students to collaborate on projects within their Minecraft worlds, building plans, planning, and even chatting while they collaborate. (Download this guide on how to play using Multiplayer Mode.) Students can use tools such as the Camera and Book & Quil to capture screenshots and write about their work and then export their in-game portfolios to PDF when they are ready to submit their projects.
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p>"Distance learning requires students to be involved in content in news ways," explains educator and Minecraft certified trainer Becky Keene. They require learning activities and environments that help them learn, since they work remotely. Minecraft is a great tool for almost every content area and allows students to show me their learning without a pause!"
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p>When students collaborate remotely in Minecraft: Education Edition, it presents new opportunities for them to develop communication and problem-solving skills together. Mark Henkels, a Minecraft educator in New York, says, "It's the social interaction that really is a major part of the reason why Minecraft is so popular and great. It's the reason why Minecraft is such a an excellent educational experience."
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p>Here's how to setup Minecraft: Education Edition for your device or at school:
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p>- First, check here to see if the school account is eligible. If you have an active O365 EDU account, fill this form to request access to Minecraft Education Edition through June 2020. Download Minecraft: Education Edition for Windows, Mac or iPad.
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p>If you do not have an active O365 EDU account, you can still download and try a free demo lesson on Windows, Mac or iPad. Learn about other Minecraft distance learning tools here.
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p>Find free lessons, online training and distance learning projects for Minecraft Education Edition:
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p>Explore lessons in STEM language arts, history, and more in the remote learning toolkit, such as modelling plant and animal cells, creating historical monuments , and using coding to design a garden. - Join the 2020 Minecraft Education Challenge with your students by using a programmable toolkit that can help tackle real-world sustainability and inclusion problems. Start with a no-cost introductory online course for educators on the Microsoft Education Community (MEC) and read this Starter Guide to learn the fundamentals of teaching with Minecraft Education Edition. - Check out these build challenges for fun, fast-paced and innovative activities to inspire your students to participate in STEM and storytelling. This YouTube playlist teaches you to make use of different tools to set up games, assess and manage your classroom.
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p>Educational content available for Minecraft Bedrock:
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p>We recently announced a new category of educational worlds for Minecraft players everywhere in the Minecraft Marketplace to support families during school closings. The new Education Collection includes worlds that you can play with your family and friends, including work from Everbloom, Jigarbov and Lifeboat, Razzleberries and The World Foundry, Blockworks, and Imagiverse. All of these worlds are free to download until June 30, 2020. Anyone who has Minecraft for Bedrock can find these worlds by opening Minecraft and then visiting the in-game store.
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p>There isn't a quick fix for major disruptions such as school closures. However these tools can help educators and students stay connected and involved in learning. Feel free to share your thoughts on remote teaching and learning with the Minecraft Education Edition community on Twitter or Facebook.
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