September 29, 2023                                                                                                                                                      Nicholas Aw-Yang | Staff Writer 

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Although it may seem counter-intuitive, Minecraft can actually be beneficial to students in a learning environment. Minecraft is a sandbox game centered around building. The sandbox nature of the game allows it to be used in many ways, including as an educational tool. Minecraft is a great way to immerse students in projects while also building teamwork. Teachers can use Minecraft to help educate in areas such as math, chemistry, science, and even history!

Using Minecraft to create engaging projects is not a foreign concept and has even been put to use at Westlake Charter School. In Mrs. Sandberg's 7th grade math class, students were tasked with constructing a medieval village in Minecraft using different 2D and 3D shapes. The project was a hit among students and captured the attention of kids who were otherwise distracted or zoned out during class. “I liked how we learned everything in a fun way,” said Ahmad Rasool, who participated in the project.

Not only can Minecraft help teachers engage students in their classes, but it can also help in ways that extend beyond the classroom! Blockbyblock.org uses Minecraft to plan and improve neighborhoods in countries all around the world. Instead of the more traditional polls, we can use Minecraft as a more creative way to allow students to suggest improvements to our school.

In conclusion, Minecraft and its many features can be utilized to make schoolwork more appealing and simultaneously educate just as well as any other assignment. Read more articles like this at The Expedition.