The newest TechStars curriculum by technology education provider Computer Explorers is Minecraft: Desert Island Survival. In the course, students ages 8 and up will be fully engaged as they work collaboratively on a private server to build and expand upon a 3D immersive world exclusively designed for Computer Explorers.
“Minecraft is an open-ended tool that can be used to effectively integrate technology into the classroom. Current thought is that nearly 80% of future careers will require some science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. Every possible means must be used to cultivate the interest of our youth in these fields. We believe Minecraft: Desert Island Survival is an effective means,” says Computer Explorers Curriculum and Program Development Director Elizabeth Marion.
Students will work in Survival Mode which requires them to take into account resources, hunger, tools and more. They have to explore in order to collect resources and process what they find, such as smelting ore to create metal. As they develop their world, the students gain insight into the various elements of survival, settlement and exploration in a way that keeps them constantly observing, hypothesizing and testing. “Our course fully engages students while promoting individual creativity and building teamwork skills,” says Marion.
Minecraft: Desert Island Survival aligns well with the National Educational Technology Standards for Students(NETS-S) by creating original works as a means of a personal group expression, using models or simulations to explore complex systems and issues, promoting communication and collaboration with project teams, and allowing students to plan and manage activities to develop a solution.
