TeacherCraft: How Teachers Learn to Use MineCraft in Their ClassroomsTeacher Craft is about how teachers learn to use new digital media. Teacher learning is central to reform and change across subject areas and age levels, but how much do we really know about how teachers learn to try new lessons in classrooms? Minecraft is currently the game of choice for millions of youth and also for these seventeen teachers who claim it has transformed their classrooms. Its rapid adoption also provides a unique window of opportunity to look inside the recent memory of innovative teachers and unpack how they learned. Why did they pick Minecraft? More importantly, how did they pick Minecraft? Where did they hear about it? Who do they trust for ideas? How do they test new ideas? Can we begin to identify the trajectories of truly innovative teachers? It turns out, we can - and it may not be what you'd expect. " |
Contents
Acknowledgments | 1 |
Why Minecraft? Minecraft and its coming imitators are unique as fully open design spaces | 23 |
Why Study Teachers? Teachers serve as the primary agent of change in education This chapter provides | 47 |
Common terms and phrases
activities adoption allows Azeroth behavior biomes blank slate blocks build challenge chapter classroom computer game conversation crafting table create curricular curriculum digital games digital tools digitally mediated Dikkers discourse status Duane G elements environments evaluation experience experimental control explore folder formal PD game-based approaches gamers games for learning goals hobby Hogwarts innovative interesting internal validity Jeff Kuhn kids Kung Fu language learners level of engagement look machinima Minecraft teachers MMOs multiplayer narratives participants Plato players Playing Minecraft potential practice professional development Quakecon reading relevant server share Skyrim social space started story subject areas teacher learning Teachercraft Teachers explained teachers using Minecraft teaching and learning things understanding validation video games Westeros World of Warcraft Zack