Robert Wachman's Reflections, Learning and Challenges in EVO Minecraft 2016

Reflections on 2016 EVO Minecraft MOOC proposal and Smolčec & Smolčec article (Jan. 14, 2016)

Thanks to Vance and all the other moderators for creating this EVO session.  Reading the EVO proposal gives me a good overview of the session; it serves the function of a course syllabus.  I’m surprised it’s not required reading for all participants.

I very much enjoy experiential learning—learning by doing.  What better way to learn about the possible use of Minecraft for language learning and teaching than to actually play the game collaboratively and learn from and with colleagues.

The TESL-EJ article has given me a good start in understanding how this and other games can facilitate language learning and teaching.  Thinking very generally about the use of games for language learning, I recall how I used to occasionally use Bingo in my adult ESL classes (most recently prononuciation bingo) and how students would always welcome this activity and enjoy competing for small prizes.  Looking at the use of Minecraft and games “from 30,000 feet,” I can see it as task-based and content-based language learning, which I know to be effective.  It’s perfectly in synch with focus on meaning (as opposed to form) and communicative language learning.

How refreshing to find a computer game whose main activity is not killing or dodging killers.  Things I especially like in the Smolčec & Smolčec article: the notion of “player vs. creativity;” the idea of shaping a game around teaching or learning objectives and the open endedness of Minecraft to allow that; very interesting to read accounts of how Minecraft motivated an EFL class and the Smolčec boys to acquire and use English.  “Fastest way to learn about the game” and “Minecraft characters” sections will be great guides for me when I actually begin playing.  “What children and students learn from playing Minecraft” helps me to understand the wealth of valuable learning possible by playing and communicating about the game.  My favorite part of this article is Marijana’s very personal account in “Regarding Minecraft and English learning” of her two sons’ development of the four language macro skills.  I look forward to interacting with and learning from Marijana and Filip in this session.

I’m not sure I understand Jeff Kuhn’s “leverag[ing] game pacing, possibility space and intentional design.”  I may explore the reference sources on this.

It will be interesting for me to experiment with setting up language learning tasks within Minecraft when I learn sufficiently about the game to do so.  I imagine this could take a long time and may not be possible within the 5 weeks of this session.

Mon., Jan. 18.

After joining the server and being completely lost and powerless to do anything last night, I just watched the first couple of How to videos and feel much more like "I can do this!!"

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