Microsoft Acquires MinecraftEdu, Announces Minecraft Education Edition For Classrooms
Today, Microsoft is solidifying Minecraft’s place in education with the acquisition of MinecraftEdu, which is produced by Teacher Gaming LLC. MinecraftEdu has allowed teachers to easily integrate Minecraft into the curriculum, including lessons that run the gamut from history to language to STEM. Microsoft plans to build on the foundation initiated with MinecraftEdu to develop its own classroom centric platform: Minecraft Education Edition.
Microsoft already has a vast user base to build from, as over 7,000 classrooms and over 40 countries around the world use Minecraft in their curriculum.
“Over the past few years, educators around the world have been using Minecraft to explore subjects that might not spring to mind when you think of our block-based game,” said Mojang’s Owen Hill. “Microsoft has acquired MinecraftEdu and is building upon its proven success to create a new version of Minecraft that’s dedicated to learning.”
“One of the reasons Minecraft fits so well in the classroom is because it’s a common, creative playground,” added Vu Bui, COO of Mojang. “We’ve seen that Minecraft transcends the differences in teaching and learning styles and education systems around the world. It’s an open space where people can come together and build a lesson around nearly anything.”
Minecraft Education Edition will be available starting this summer as a free trial. Once the trial period is over, existing MinecraftEdu will be given one year free of Minecraft Education Edition.
Microsoft helps to build a thriving community for Minecraft Education Edition and will have an online portal complete with resources like lesson plans and other useful tools available for teachers. You can already check out what Minecraft Education Edition has to offer by heading over to education.minecraft.net.
