Minecraft Education Archives

AppWizard

January 28, 2026

Beaty students win regional Minecraft challenge and advance to states

A trio of students from Beaty-Warren Middle School, named Earth’s Green Team, won first place in the Pennsylvania Scholastic eSports League Regional Minecraft Education Build Challenge at the elementary level. The team members, Bo Winkels, Patrick Ferrie, and Grayson Zapel, designed a Minecraft-based solution focused on sustainable agriculture to address food security and community support. Their victory qualifies them for the PSEL State Championship on February 6 in Lancaster at the Just Press Play Mega Store. The Build Challenge required participants to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing farm in Minecraft, incorporating crops, animals, and essential features. The competition involved hundreds of teams and was conducted virtually from November 10 to December 19. At the State Championship, regional winners will face a new challenge and have two hours to construct a Minecraft Education world.

AppWizard

January 27, 2026

Minecraft gamifies Sir John Soane’s Museum

Minecraft has partnered with Sir John Soane’s Museum to create a digital experience called Soane’s Portals to the Past, allowing players to explore a virtual version of the museum. This interactive gaming experience features digital guides, including historical figures Sir John Soane and his wife, Eliza, as well as Soane's dog, Fan. Notable spaces like the Picture Gallery, Breakfast Room, and Dome have been recreated, showcasing artworks such as Canaletto's Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice. Players can also embark on guided tours of ancient sites in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The virtual environment was created by BlockBuilders, and lesson plans from Microsoft Office 365 Education enhance its educational value. The partnership aims to fulfill the museum's educational mission and share its collection with a global audience through Minecraft. A demo of the experience is available for download.

AppWizard

January 27, 2026

BETT 2026: Microsoft reveals major Copilot, AI, and Minecraft Education updates | ETIH EdTech News

Microsoft showcased a comprehensive update to its education platform at BETT 2026, integrating AI tools like Copilot into Microsoft 365, Teams for Education, Learning Accelerators, and Minecraft Education. The new Teach module allows educators to create lesson plans aligned with standards from over 35 countries, generate rubrics, and modify reading levels. Minecraft Education lesson plan creation using Copilot is set to enter preview in February 2026. Microsoft introduced a Study and Learn agent for students, designed to support independent learning through tailored interactive activities, with a preview scheduled for January 2026. The program emphasizes AI literacy through Minecraft Education, helping students recognize AI in tools, understand algorithms, and develop critical evaluation skills. Learning Accelerators will expand with a new Microsoft 365 LTI for LMS integration, allowing full integration of Microsoft 365 apps and Copilot into learning management systems by Spring 2026. Microsoft also addressed AI misuse concerns, introducing assignment-level controls for educators to define acceptable AI usage, with previews scheduled for February 2026.

AppWizard

December 14, 2025

Why Is Minecraft So Expensive?

Many gamers hesitate to purchase Minecraft due to its price, questioning why it remains relatively expensive despite its simplistic graphics and long-standing presence. 1. Minecraft is a one-time purchase game, offering full access without pay-to-win mechanics or subscriptions. 2. Since its launch in 2011, Minecraft has undergone continuous development, providing numerous major updates at no extra cost. 3. Minecraft serves as a versatile creative platform for learning game design, coding, education, and community building. 4. Microsoft's ownership has led to investments in global server infrastructure, account management, and security measures, impacting the game's pricing. 5. The value-per-hour argument shows that Minecraft offers extensive gameplay hours, making it economical compared to other games. 6. Minecraft is one of the best-selling games of all time, with high demand supporting its stable price. FAQs indicate that Minecraft provides exceptional value, maintains its price due to sustained development and popularity, distinguishes itself from cheaper alternatives, does not require additional payments for core access, and offers legal ways to play at a lower cost.

AppWizard

November 14, 2025

Coding meets creativity in Minecraft Education’s AI tutorial

Minecraft Education has introduced an AI-powered experience called the Hour of AI world, transforming the traditional first night challenge into a guided coding and learning journey. Players build shelters with the help of an AI agent that enhances planning and problem-solving skills. Using MakeCode programming, participants instruct the AI to identify patterns, categorize resources, and manage helper bots. The AI agent evolves from a basic tool to a collaborative partner, automating tasks and reducing the pressures of survival. The experience is designed for individuals aged seven and older and is freely accessible through Minecraft Education, introducing fundamental AI literacy concepts in a family-friendly environment.

AppWizard

November 12, 2025

Hour of AI 2025

In a vibrant biome, as night falls, players encounter unsettling sounds and shadows. They are equipped with an AI agent in Minecraft Education, which can be programmed using MakeCode to recognize patterns, classify resources, and coordinate helpers. The AI learns from examples and may make mistakes, requiring guidance. Proper training of the AI agent is crucial for effective survival, helping players plan, prototype, and automate tasks to avoid danger from zombies and enhance their gaming experience.

AppWizard

November 8, 2025

Building blocks of history: Flint Castle gets Minecraft makeover

School children visited Flint Castle and engaged with its history through Minecraft Education, marking the launch of Cadw’s fourth Welsh heritage site in the game. Pupils from Ysgol Flint Gwynedd and Ysgol Cornist Park participated in interactive learning experiences at the 13th-century fortress, which is significant as the first fortress built by King Edward I in 1277. The initiative, which began at Conwy Castle in December 2024, has seen over 7,000 downloads of bilingual resources by educators in Wales. The Minecraft experience allows learners aged 8 to 14 to explore the castle, follow a "Conflict Trail," and create historical films. Minister for Culture Jack Sargeant attended the launch, emphasizing the project's role in engaging young people with Welsh history and developing digital skills. The initiative plans to include around 20 Cadw-managed heritage sites in Minecraft over the next year, with resources available in both Welsh and English.

AppWizard

November 8, 2025

Flint Castle recreated in Minecraft for new Cadw learning project

Flint Castle has been revitalized in Minecraft through an educational initiative by Cadw, allowing students from Ysgol Flint Gwynedd and Ysgol Cornist Park to explore a digital replica of the historic site. This is the fourth Welsh heritage site recreated in Minecraft, following Conwy Castle, Caernarfon Castle, and Harlech Castle. Since its launch in December 2024, the bilingual Minecraft resources have been downloaded over 7,000 times by educators in Wales. Flint Castle, built by King Edward I in 1277, played significant roles in British history, including the capture of King Richard II in 1399 and involvement in Owain Glyndŵr’s rebellion in 1400. The Minecraft world allows learners aged 8 to 14 to explore the castle and engage with the interactive Conflict Trail. Cadw plans to add around 20 more locations to the Minecraft world in the coming year, with resources available in Welsh and English.

AppWizard

October 24, 2025

Students invited to reimagine AO in Minecraft Education

The AO Schools Block Buster Tennis Challenge is a national competition in Australia for students in Years 4 to 12, organized by the Australian Open and the Australian Esports League. Participants create designs of the Australian Open precinct using Minecraft Education, focusing on themes of creativity, sustainability, and technology. Over 100 schools are enrolled for the 2025 competition, which features a prize pool exceeding ,000, including experiences at AO 2026. The challenge has different themes for various year levels: - Years 4–6: Design a sustainable fan zone. - Years 7–9: Redesign a key stadium and interconnected facilities. - Years 10–12: Reimagine the entire AO precinct. Key dates include registration closing on October 31, 2025, submissions due by November 28, 2025, marking completed by December 15, 2025, and winners announced on December 16, 2025. Schools can register at the AEL website. The event is not sponsored or endorsed by Microsoft Corporation or Mojang AB.

AppWizard

October 3, 2025

Minecraft-style game based on Bude to help teach climate change

A customized version of Minecraft, named CoastCraft, has been launched by the Environment Agency to engage children aged nine to 14 in climate change issues, focusing on coastal erosion and flood resilience. The game is set in Bude, Cornwall, and encourages players to protect their environment while considering community needs. This initiative is part of a £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme, developed with Minecraft Education and Cornwall Council. The government is committing £7.9 billion over the next decade for coastal community protection. Students from Sir James Smith School and Windmill Hill Academy contributed to the game's development.