Running head: MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 1

Minecraft in the Math Classroom

Methods, Benefits, and Difficulties of Minecraft Integration

Aaron Hultstrand

A Senior Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for graduation
in the Honors Program
Liberty University
Fall 2015
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 2

Acceptance of Senior Honors Thesis

This Senior Honors Thesis is accepted in partial

fulfillment of the requirements for graduation from the
Honors Program of Liberty University.

Randall Dunn, Ph.D.

Thesis Chair

John Pantana, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Scott Long, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Brenda Ayres, Ph.D.

Honors Director

Date
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 3

Abstract

The spread of technology is creating the need for teachers to evolve and adapt their

strategies within the classroom. Teachers must continually improve upon their

technological integration in order to teach students ever more effectively. Game-based

learning has recently gained prominence as a plausible use of technology in the

classroom. This thesis will discuss the classroom implications and application of game-

based learning. Specifically, the use of the video game Minecraft in the high school math

classroom will be examined. The potential of Minecraft as an effective teaching tool to

advance the quality of student learning will be examined through a thorough investigation

of the topic. Along with practical example lessons, the benefits and difficulties of such an

implementation of Minecraft will be considered.

MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 4

Minecraft in the Math Classroom

Methods, Benefits, and Difficulties of Minecraft Integration

Introduction

The current state of math education in the United States is in undeniable need of

improvement. Multiple studies have investigated the performance of American math

students, and the studies have consistently revealed statistics that show the United States

trailing other major developed countries in mathematical competency (Powell, 2007;

Fleischman, Hopstock, Pelczar, & Shelley, 2010; Vigdor, 2012). As a result, there has

been a recent surge of discussion in education circles revolving around discovering new

techniques and practices to implement in the math classroom that will improve student

involvement and understanding (Vigdor, 2012). Educators recognize that the current

typical math classroom does not engage the learner in a way that creates a desire to learn

and truly understand the concepts. The recent Common Core controversy over new

methods of teaching math is a result of educators looking to revolutionize and reimagine

the math classroom and spark a revival in student achievement. Common Core standards

have been designed in an effort to shift the responsibility of learning more toward the

students (Coffey, 2014). Other implementations that are being experimented with are the

flipped classroom, student-centered activities that promote student investigation, and a

variety of other educational techniques designed to modernize the math classroom en

route to improved student competency in mathematics (Jacot, Noren, & Berge, 2014; Old

Standards v. Common Core, 2015; Coffey, 2014). The following discussion will not seek

to dissuade the use or benefit of these methods, but rather it will highlight and promote

the use of an additional resource, namely Minecraft, that can be used either in
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 5

conjunction with or separate to these methods. As an argument for the viability of

Minecraft as a teaching tool, the methods, benefits, and difficulties involved in the

integration of Minecraft in the modern math classroom will be investigated.

State of Education in the United States

In the United States, a typical reaction to declining academic achievement is a call

for increased concentration on the quality of education. When the Soviet Union unveiled

the Sputnik satellite, the United States was confronted with the inadequacy of their

current educational status. By successfully launching a satellite into space, the Soviet

Union outpaced the United States in two humbling and worrying ways. First, they had

beaten the United States to space, and second, they had shown that they possessed the

rocket technology needed to fire nuclear missiles across immense distances, distances as

far as mainland United States (Powell, 2007). A direct result of this revelation was the

National Defense Education Act and a commitment to improve education by individual

teachers (Powell, 2007). The National Defense Education Act increased the general

funding for education with a focus on science and mathematics (Powell, 2007). Through

this act the United States hoped to improve the educational prowess of its students

enough to outpace Soviet advancements in space and develop countermeasures against

the nuclear missile threat (Powell, 2007). In this case, the response to the revelation of

lackluster education quality resulted in positive results. In the present time, the United

States is once again being confronted by statistics that show a backward slide in

achievement scores compared to other developed countries, specifically in mathematics.

Every three years, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

(OECD) issues the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The PISA is
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 6

administered to 15-year-old students across 65 countries and is designed to measure

student literacy rates in reading, science, and mathematics (Organization for Economic

Cooperation and Development, 2013). The previous three PISAs have not reflected

highly on the state of United States education, specifically mathematics. The PISA 2009

showed improvement in the mathematics scores of American students compared to the

PISA 2006 scores (Fleischman, Hopstock, Pelczar, & Shelley, 2010). However, the

scores continued to remain below the average OECD scores. Further, the PISA 2009

scores do not appear to be indicative of overall trend since the PISA 2012 scores have

shown another backward slide. From 2009 to 2012, the average mathematics score of the

United States dropped by 6 points from 487 to 481 while the OECD dropped by only 2

points from 496 to 494 (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development,

2013). However, the rank of the United States in relation to the other participating

countries is even more alarming. The American average was lower than 29 other

countries and not measurably different than 9 countries while being higher than only 26

countries (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2013). From this it

is unfortunately easy to surmise that the mathematics aspect of the United States

education system is below-average, average at best, compared to the developed countries

of the world. However, educators have not failed to notice this disparity. Therefore,

similar to the response to Sputnik, educators of present day America are looking for ways

to reinvigorate and improve the educational system.

A new wave of educators are putting forth their best ideas to solve the problem of

mathematics education in the United States. Certain portions of the new Common Core

seek to teach math in a fundamentally different way in the hope that students grasp an
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 7

intuitive and practical understanding of what they learn. Using the flipped classroom

method in the math classroom has received an increase in popularity (Jacot, Noren, &

Berge, 2014). The idea behind the flipped math classroom is that students are able to use

in-class time to complete the homework assignment while out-of-class time is used to

watch a pre-recorded presentation of the days concept. Therefore, the teacher will be

present to assist and answer questions as students encounter try out the new concept they

have learned. Proponents of this teaching method point to adoption of flipped classrooms

by major universities such as Harvard and the rise of videobased learning communities

such as Khan Academy as signals of its success (Jacot, Noren, & Berge, 2014). Math

classrooms are also experimenting with increased technological integration. One result of

this is that many schools are now providing tablets for their students to use in the

classroom. In fact, 2013 saw a 46% increase in the sale of tablets for educational use,

rising to over 3.5 million devices in sold for that specific purpose (Molnar, 2013). Each

of these methods have met with both success and failure; however, the prolonged impact

of each has yet to be seen. One very recent proposed method extends the focus of using

technology in the classroom to a fairly radical new degree. This method involves using

video games as teaching tools in the math classroom. Video games, such as Portal 2,

Angry Birds, and Minecraft, have all been used as viable teaching tools in the math

classroom (Jenkins, 2014). Using Minecraft, in particular, as a vessel for game-based

learning has grown in popularity among teachers.

Game-based Learning

As our current age of technology continues to expand, game-based learning is

finding a home in the classroom (Cicchino, 2015). A technical definition of game-based

MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 8

learning is the provision of learning opportunities that enable learners to make

meaningful choices within problem spaces that may span the visual, spatial, and aural,

and that provide learners with challenges that must be overcome (Cicchino, 2015, p. 2).

In practice, game-based learning typically refers to the use of entire or aspects of video

games, or physical games, as the means through which a teacher instructs the students on

specific learning objectives. It occurs both within the boundaries of the games and

outside of those boundaries. Within a video game, game-based learning begins with the

teacher designing an activity that makes appropriate use of the games capabilities. The

teacher is then able give the students instruction on how to interact within the game in

order to progress toward the learning objective. However, the activity within the game

may only be the starting point for further learning through classroom discussion. In fact, a

study found that the primary use of video games in the classroom was often to encourage

student discussion and collaboration (Groff, Howells, & Cranmer, 2012). Despite

complaints regarding the idea of using video games in the classroom revolving around

time constraints, cost, difficulty of teaching toward an objective, and student distraction

from the topic within the game, game-based learning has been shown to be effective in

the classroom when used properly (Groff, Howells, & Cranmer, 2012). Teachers

participating in game-based learning have found that it led to increased student

motivation (Sandford, Ulicsak, Facer, & Rudd, 2006). They have also reported greater

student engagement in the learning process which led to improved problem solving and

coordination with peers (Groff, Howells, & Cranmer, 2012). A study that delivers

concrete evidence of the viability of game-based learning involved over 600 students and

found that students who used a brain-training console game over a ten-week period
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 9

achieved 50% greater accuracy in half the response time on mathematical computations

compared to a group of students who used traditional methods during that same time

period (Groff, Howells, & Cranmer, 2012). The effectiveness of game-based learning still

relies in part on the quality of the teacher though. A quote from a teacher interviewed by

Jennifer Groff illustrates this point about using a video game in the classroom: Its a

tool, its very much a tool, its not an end product, its a tool to engage children in

learning (2012, p. 44). The video game itself does not manifest learning, but rather it is a

tool through which its specific implementation and accompanying discussion manifest

learning.

Minecraft in the Math Classroom

The use of Minecraft in the math classroom is a specific example of game-based

learning that adheres to the factors laid out above. Minecraft is an open-world, sandbox

video game developed in 2009 that allows players to create nearly any object devised by

their imagination. The basis of construction in the game is three-dimensional blocks that

can be mined and placed according to the players instruction. The near infinite creativity

allowed by Minecraft has led many to label it as a virtual Lego world. This property of

boundless creativity has also allowed Minecraft to be used in a diverse range of

applications that the creator Markus Persson could hardly have imagined at Minecrafts

original release. One of these applications appears in the classroom. In fact, in the last

couple years, the use of Minecraft has experienced a growing presence in education.

MinecraftEdu, the registered teacher edition of Minecraft, was reportedly used by around

1,000 schools across the world at the beginning of 2013 (Bristow, 2013). Amazingly, that
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 10

number doubled to an estimated 2,500 schools by the end of 2013, and this number does

not include schools which are using the base edition of Minecraft (Bristow, 2013).

Teachers across a variety of classrooms are finding ways to effectively integrate

Minecraft. A middle school history teacher together with his students accurately recreated

an ancient Chinese town, allowing the student to simultaneously learn about the Tang

Dynasty, Chinese architecture, and Chinese culture while researching the city (Bristow,

2013). A high school science teacher created a replica of a human cell and its organelles

within Minecraft (Bloom, 2014). He then designed a handout with instructions and

questions for the students to fill out as they explored and learned about the virtual cell

(Bloom, 2014). One third grade teacher ambitiously implemented Minecraft across a

variety of subjects with her students (Stanbery, 2014). One of her activities involved

using the farming aspect of Minecraft to teach her students the correct process of farming

as her students grew wheat and melons (Stanbery, 2014). The variability of Minecraft

extends to the language learning classroom as well. A teacher teaching English in a

Japanese classroom developed an elaborate city in Minecraft where each building

involved different English language learning activities for the students (Siddiqui, 2013).

Many of the activities incorporated the need of collaborative learning between the

students so that they would facilitate each others learning. An example of one of the

English teachers activity buildings is a building where two students progress through a

series of challenges revolving around pinpointing the differences between their respective

rooms using English words (Siddiqui, 2013). These examples provide a glimpse into the

evident use of Minecraft in a variety of classrooms. The open-ended nature of Minecraft

MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 11

releases it from the confines of a single classroom or activity, but rather permits any

teacher to devise an activity applicable to their specific classroom and lesson.

Facets of Lessons Incorporating Minecraft

Evidently, Minecraft has been chosen as a viable tool by many innovative

teachers. However, the game-based learning brought about by Minecraft does not entirely

abandon traditional teaching methods. Every teacher knows that it is important to identify

a clear learning objective for each lesson to ensure learning occurs. Multiple articles on

the basics of implementing game-based learning in the classroom emphasize this same

importance of having a clear learning objective. Teachers are advised to label a definite

objective that they wish their game-based lesson to reach, in order, that the lesson is

worthwhile (Groff, Howells, & Cranmer, 2012; Sandford, Ulicsak, Facer, & Rudd, 2006).

Just as learning objectives are typically tied to national standards such as the Common

Core, the objectives of game-based lessons can also be tied to national standards. In his

webinar, Jim Pike addresses how he has used Minecraft in his third grade classroom,

specifically in the subject area of math, to teach lessons directly tied to Common Core

standards (2014). It may take ingenuity at times on the part of the teacher to develop a

lesson incorporating video games that covers a national standard, yet it is not a difficult

type of ingenuity but the same type of ingenuity that teachers use every day to create

innovative and engaging lessons that cover national standards. Similar to this is the

importance that teachers use games appropriately. Any supplementary tools used by

teachers to enhance a lesson, whether it be a video, book excerpt, or Internet resource,

must be used appropriately by the teacher if it will benefit the students learning. The use

of video games in the classroom falls under the same requirement (Groff, Howells, &
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 12

Cranmer, 2012). The entirety of a game does not need to be used, rather the teacher needs

to decipher which aspects of a game benefit the lesson and use those aspects (Groff,

Howells, & Cranmer, 2012). Ancillary aspects that would distract or hinder the learner

need to be identified by the teacher and avoided during the lesson. In one sense, this

means that despite the fact that video games increased fun and engagement with the

students, video games should not be used in the classroom for this reason. Rather, video

games should be used because of the improved learning possibilities they bring to the

table, of which increased fun and engagement are parts. In an interview covering game-

based learning, one teacher addressed this idea of video games adding to and

complementing, not supplanting, typical classroom instruction by saying, I think, it

should support teacher-led teaching rather than replacing it; it can become a lazy way of

teaching if you are not careful. It needs to be targeted carefully (Allsop, Yildririm, &

Screpanti, 2013, p. 6).

Reflection time is another facet of traditional education that game-based learning

draws. Providing time within the classroom for students to discuss the material covered in

the lesson, their struggles and successes, is a key ingredient of enforcing the learning that

occurred in the lesson. This reflection time and discussion is paramount in a game-based

lesson (Sandford, Ulicsak, Facer, & Rudd, 2006). Often these type of lessons require

discussion outside of the lesson itself to ensure students grasp the connection between

what was done in the video game world and what it means in the real world (Pike, 2014).

This link is strengthened in the students minds when they can draw connections and

reach conclusions by themselves, through teacher-guided discussion, in purposeful

reflection time. Thus, despite game-based learnings apparent radical shift from
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 13

traditional teaching, it retains many of the attributes of traditional teaching that have been

proven to aid learning in the classroom.

Therefore, there are facets of a Minecraft lesson that will be familiar to all

teachers. However, there are other facets of the lesson that are unique to a Minecraft

lesson as a game-based learning opportunity. First, foremost, and most obviously is the

use of Minecraft itself in the lesson. Teachers who wish to use Minecraft will need to

have a firm understanding of the mechanics and gameplay of Minecraft. While there are

multiple sources available online for interested teachers to garner ideas for math lessons

in Minecraft such as Stephen Elfords blog, teachers that thoroughly understand

Minecraft will be able to devise new lessons tailored to their specific classroom (2015).

Minecraft is both a single player and multiplayer experience. Users can play in their own

unique world, or they can join with a group of fellow users to play together in the same

world on a dedicated server. The latter experience will be the most useful in the

classroom. It will manifest itself in the classroom as each student and teacher at a

separate computer in the classroom, yet everyone will be connected on the same server

and joined together in the same Minecraft world. However, this leads to three main

difficulties for the teacher. The first difficulty is the ever present concern of teachers:

classroom management. The concern of classroom management is now replicated in the

digital space of the Minecraft world. As in a normal class, the teacher will have a lesson

plan to follow and specific objectives to fulfill. Therefore, when the class enters the

Minecraft world, the teacher will immediately have certain tasks the students need to

complete. However, in line with the tendency for students to become distracted, the

students may began mining blocks and creating structures in manners not appropriate for
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 14

the current lesson. Thus, teachers must work to manage the talking and focus of the

students in the physical world as well as the attentions of the students in the digital world.

The second difficulty arises as the teacher seeks to set up a server which will allow a

streamlined and playable environment for all students and teachers in a single world. The

final difficulty concerns the price involved with providing each student and teacher with

their own copy of Minecraft to play on. Thankfully, there are tools available to teachers

for assistance with these three difficulties. The foremost tool available for educators

seeking to use Minecraft in the classroom is MinecraftEdu (TeacherGaming, 2015).

Details and Capabilities of MinecraftEdu

MinecraftEdu is the preeminent mod available for Minecraft as an educational

tool. Hundreds of users have created mods for Minecraft. According to the Gamepedia

MinecraftWiki, a Minecraft mod, short for modification, is anything that changes

Minecraft's game content from what it originally was (2015, para. 1). These users are

typically called modders. Thus, each of these modders have taken the traditional game of

Minecraft and tailored and tweaked it to fit their specific wants and needs. MinecraftEdu

is a Minecraft mod developed by TeacherGaming, a partnership led by teachers Santeri

Koivisto and Joel Levin, which focuses on the educational potential of Minecraft (Farber,

2015). This educational focus sets it apart from most Minecraft mods, but a second aspect

of MinecraftEdu also sets it apart from typical mods. MinecraftEdu is officially supported

by Mojang, the creators of Minecraft (TeacherGaming, 2015). Therefore, MinecraftEdu

is able to sell officially licensed copies of Minecraft coupled with their MinecraftEdu

mod (TeacherGaming, 2015).

MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 15

Besides the official support of Mojang, MinecraftEdu offers a slew of

enhancements and benefits that teachers greatly appreciate when using Minecraft in the

classroom. At its foundation, Minecraft is a sandbox style video game which allows

players to do virtually anything they want within the game. This is a key component to its

educational potential; however, it also means teachers need a way to focus their students

attention on the task on hand when it is used in the classroom. MinecraftEdu gives

teachers this ability through simple to click buttons in an in-game dialog box

(TeacherGaming, 2015). Teachers can switch their viewpoint from Creative Mode,

viewpoint of the avatar, to Spectate Mode, which allows for fast mobility and a birds eye

view for the teacher to easily survey the students (TeacherGaming, 2015). If a teacher

wishes to garner the students full attention, they can freeze all students so that they are

unable to move or mine blocks but must focus on the teacher (TeacherGaming, 2015).

Another aid for focusing student attention that MinecraftEdu provides is the ability for

the students to mute students in game (TeacherGaming, 2015). This mute feature works

both for type chat in the game and voice chat if the students are using headsets. For a

lesson which requires students to only explore a pre-built world without building on the

students parts, the teacher can prevent students from having the ability to mine and place

blocks (TeacherGaming, 2015). Certain facets of the Minecraft experience involve

players fending off attacks from hostile computer controlled creatures or other players. If

a player fails to defend themselves sufficiently, their avatar will be killed and forced to

respawn. MinecraftEdu allows teachers to turn off hostile creatures and more importantly

player verse player damage (TeacherGaming, 2015).

MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 16

The above features of MinecraftEdu aid teachers with the classroom management

difficulties of using Minecraft in the classroom. However, MinecraftEdu offers an

equally impressive set of features to aid in the lesson delivery itself. The Assignment

feature allows teachers to create multiple assignments for a given activity which

students can view and mark as finished when they have completed that assignment

(TeacherGaming, 2015). If an activity requires every student to have specific tools or

items in their inventories, teachers can write a simple command in the menu and every

student or specific students will be given that tool or item (TeacherGaming, 2015). This

feature is extremely useful in the classroom where time is a valuable resource. It allows

teachers to proceed to the activity with one button click instead of having to walk from

avatar to avatar and giving the necessary items to each one individually. Another time-

saving feature is the ability for teachers to set up teleport stations which they can label

and quickly teleport everyone or select individuals to and from during the lesson

(TeacherGaming, 2015). Therefore, teachers will not have to waste time leading the

students across their world to the next activity within the world. The core of Minecraft

gameplay is the building and destroying of blocks within the world. MinecraftEdu

provides tools to make this process more efficient if desired by the teacher. MinecraftEdu

allows teachers to fill or clear large sections of the world with a specific block type with a

single click and drag rather than placing each individual block (TeacherGaming, 2015).

In a typical Minecraft game, players can place or destroy a block only within a four block

radius of their avatar. However, MinecraftEdu allows long distance building which

allows the player to place or destroy a block up to 60 blocks away (TeacherGaming,

2015). In a scenario where a teacher is hovering above, supervising the students, this
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 17

feature will be useful to alter the terrain as needed from their raised position. The above

features are the most prominent and useful features offered in the gameplay of

MinecraftEdu, but it is not a complete feature list. The MinecraftEdu wiki provides an

extensive description of all that is offered by the MinecraftEdu mod.

In order to address the difficulties of server accessibility and pricing concerns,

MinecraftEdu provides a streamlined solution. The base PC Minecraft cost $26.95 per

license (Mojang, 2015). Because of the partnership with Mojang, MinecraftEdu is able to

offer a discounted price on Minecraft licenses. If fewer than 25 licenses are bought, each

license costs $18 (TeacherGaming, 2015). If 25 or more licenses are bought, each license

costs $14 (TeacherGaming, 2015). Teachers will need to buy one license for each student

in the class including the teachers themselves. In addition, teachers will need to purchase

a server license for $41 from MinecraftEdu (TeacherGaming, 2015). By purchasing a

server license, teachers are given the streamlined hosting solution to address the above

mentioned difficulty. The server license permits the installation and use of the

MinecraftEdu Server Software which allows teachers to connect with their students and

play together in a single virtual world (TeacherGaming, 2015). The MinecraftEdu server

is simple to use since it is an officially supported server, and the MinecraftEdu wiki

includes additional information for user help regarding the server. The MinecraftEdu

server also addresses the possible issue of unwanted players joining the game. It has a

setting to limit the number of players who join a game; therefore, teachers can set the

number at the exact size of their classroom (TeacherGaming, 2015). Also, the server may

be set up to go through the schools LAN network which then allows for a secure

connection to only the computers on that network. In summary, for an average classroom
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 18

size of 25 students, math teachers seeking to use MinecraftEdu will spend $405 on

licenses. This price seems high at first glance, but it is much lower compared to the price

of $700 if the base Minecraft game were bought. It is also a one-time cost and may be

shared outside of the math classroom. The game could be installed and set up in the

schools communal computer lab and used by classes of history, art, English, and other

subject areas. The high starting price tag of integrating Minecraft in the math classroom

should not be a deterrent to interested math teachers because the extensive and lasting

options it provides assuage that price tag. Thus, MinecraftEdu addresses the server and

price difficulty.

There are countless Minecraft mods available for users to install onto their base

game. It would be beneficial for math teachers interested in Minecraft to investigate these

mods in case there is one fitted specifically for the lesson or lessons they have in mind.

However, MinecraftEdu provides the broadest and most useful tools for the typical

classroom setting in addition to the lower price point its privileged status of being

officially supported by Mojang provides.

Minecraft Lessons for the Math Classroom

Sheep Probability by Stephen Elford

It will now be useful to look at specific examples of how Minecraft can be used

effectively in the math classroom. Stephen Elford, whose blog was mentioned above, is a

secondary teacher experienced in using Minecraft in the math classroom (2015). His blog

MinecraftEdu Elfie contains personally written summaries of his experiences, thoughts,

and resources for the educational use of Minecraft. Elford has created multiple original

activities for use in his math classroom and provides templates and walk-throughs of
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 19

these activities for interested teachers to use for their own classroom. One of his activities

uses dispensers and sheep to teach the basics of theoretical and experimental probability

(Elford, 2015). The lesson is best suited for a statistics classroom that is just being

introduced to the subject of probability. The basis of the lesson is designed for one class

period; however, Elford discusses additional, related activities that may be added on to

provide more critical thinking opportunities for the students and extend the length of the

lesson to two class periods. Elford even provides a rough script on his blog which walks

interested teachers through the delivery of the lesson (2015). Further, the MinecraftEdu

World Library contains a link to download Elfords world, Sheep Probability, which

contains the structures for this lesson (TeacherGaming, 2015). It is worth mentioning this

further resource of MinecraftEdu. The MinecraftEdu website contains a link to the

MinecraftEdu World Library which is a selection of community contributed worlds

available for download and designed for lessons in varying subjects, including

mathematics (TeacherGaming, 2015).

Figure 1. Sheep Pens. When their button is pressed, each dispenser will
put forth a random dye which students will use to dye the sheep
surrounding the respective pen.
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 20

The lesson, Sheep Probability, begins with students investigating the contrast

between theoretical and experimental probability using dispensers. Initiate the lesson by

transporting the students to the sheep pens, as seen in Figure 1, and assigning each

student a pen. Each pen has a dispenser whose nine slots are filled with nine different

wool dyes. Inside the pen, each student will operate the dispenser nine times and dye the

nine sheep surrounding the pen with those nine dyes. The students will then record the

data of what colors and how many of each were dispensed. The activity is now subject to

discussion as the teachers asks for results, what the students expected the results to be,

and how the results could be improved to be closer to expected. The discussion at this

point forces students to contemplate the difference between theoretical and experimental
1
probability. The theoretical probability of a specific colored dye being dispensed is
9
since each slot has a different dye, or in other words, each sheep should be dyed a

different color. Undoubtedly though students will report results that state multiple sheep

of the same color, evidencing the reality of experimental probability. The discussion is an

opportunity for students to think critically and propose solutions to improve results.

Proposed solutions may be performing multiple trials or investigating if the dispenser is

truly random. Thus, the next step is to act on these proposed solutions by having the

students perform multiple trials and recording the results. Once another discussion is had,

students may decide the results still do not sufficiently meet expectations. Thus, it would

be worthwhile to test the validity of the randomness of the dispenser. Elford suggests

using a true random number generator, such as an Excel function, run multiple trials on

this generator, and compare results between generator and dispenser. The generator step

can be performed by students individually or together as a class. In a class discussion,

MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 21

students may come to the conclusion that Minecraft dispensers favor a certain slot or are

not truly random. Elford proposes that this portion of the lesson will take approximately

30 minutes and is a good stopping point (2015).

The Sheep Probability lesson shows the interdisciplinary nature of Minecraft as

an educational tool. The basis of the lesson is to teach probability, and students do this in

multiple ways. They will figure out the probability of a specific dye being dispensed and

understand the relationship between probability and statistics as they compare the

proposed probability with the actual ratio of dispensed dyes. However, this lesson

interweaves fundamental science themes as well. The students follow the scientific

method as they discuss the data of their first tests, propose methods to improve the

results, and finally come to a conclusion of whether or not their data improved and why

or why not. Also, students are exposed to the often stark difference between the

theoretical and experimental when performing experiments. The activity serves as a good

lesson that scientific experiments, specifically in this case probability experiments, are

difficult to design and perform such that they adhere perfectly to the sound theoretical

values proposed. Elford also provides further activities to extend this lesson to another

class period. One additional activity asks students to breed sheep of different colors and

record what color the offspring are. Using this information, students will attempt to guess

the color and probability of it being that color for a mystery sheep based off of the

sheeps parents. This extension deepens the students understanding of probability as they

contemplate and combine multiple factors. It also touches on the biological topic of

Punnett squares as students discover what affects the offsprings color. One last extension

to this lesson proposed by Elford is for students to develop their own probability
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 22

experiment within Minecraft. It may be an experiment involving dispensers just with

something other than dyes and different proportions, or it may be something entirely of

the students own devising. Further information on this lesson can be found on Elfords

blog (2015). But this final extension provides students an opportunity to synthesize their

knowledge of probability in the creation of their own experiment. A crucial aspect of this

activity is allowing students to explore and create inside Minecraft with minimal bounds

and according to their imagination. Thus, the combination of these three activities

showcases the potential of Minecraft as an educational tool in the math classroom.

Minecraft can teach fundamental topics of mathematics, integrate multiple subject areas,

and, most importantly, provide a fun and creative environment for students to pursue

learning in.

Breaking Blocks by Author

Another practical application of Minecraft incorporates systems of linear equations and

can be used in the algebra classroom. The varying amount of time required to break

different blocks when mined is the game mechanic of Minecraft upon which the lesson is

built. For example, if a player uses a stone pickaxe, lapis lazuli blocks take 1.15 seconds

to break but cobblestone blocks require only 0.75 seconds. Using these constants,

teachers can ask students to build a structure on their plot comprising of a set amount of

blocks which is then able to be destroyed within a given time limit. In preparation for the

lesson, the teacher must select a collection of blocks containing three different breaking

times for a given tool with which students will build their structures For examples sake,

we will settle on a stone pickaxe and select stone and lapis lazuli with 1.15 second

breaking time, cobblestone and brick with 0.75 breaking time, and dirt and nether rack
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 23

with 0.75 breaking time (a chart depicting the mining times for each block and tool in the

game is hosted on the Minecraft Wiki (http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Breaking)). The

Minecraft world prepared for the lesson should include prepared 9x9 plots of land for

each student to build their structure on. Beside each plot should be a sign labeling the plot

and a chest filled with stacks of the chosen blocks and tools. Optionally, the teacher may

include aesthetic items such as torches and picture frames in the chest. While unnecessary

to the educational aspect of the lesson, these items add to the creativity and freedom

students can express in Minecraft. A display detailing the breaking time of each block

should be visible from each plot. Figure 2 provides a possible arrangement within a world

for this lesson.

Figure 2. Layout of Plots. Each student has their own plot where they
can build their custom structures, as scene in the screenshot.

At the start of the lesson, the teacher and students enter the Minecraft world. Once

each student selects a building plot, the teacher may freeze activity and have students

solve a system of three linear equations with three unknowns. Beforehand, the teacher

must have decided on the number of blocks to be used in each structure and how long the
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 24

structure must take to break down. Thus, the first two equations will relate these

parameters. Next, the teacher chooses one category of blocks of a single breaking time

and asks students to individually settle on a fixed number for how many of those blocks

they will use in their structure. The third equation in the system is simply assigning the

variable of the chosen category to this number. Using the above example selection of

blocks, the system of linear equations would appear as:

1.15 + 0.75 + 0.2 = 75

+ + = 100
= 30
In this case, the teacher has decided the structure must be destroyed in 75 seconds and

will use 100 blocks. The teacher told the students to limit how many dirt and netherrack

blocks they will use, and this student set the limit at 30 blocks. After the teacher has

provided this information, students will solve their system of linear equations, and

therefore allocate how many of each category of blocks they will use. Once this is

accomplished, students may commence on the actual building of their structure. When all

students have finished their structure, the teacher will start a timer and the students will

breakdown their structure as quick as they can. Students will write down their individual

time as soon as they break their last block. The goal for the students is to finish as near to

75 seconds as they can.

Discussion should follow immediately upon completion of this last step in the

Minecraft activity. Classroom discussion is one of the greatest strengths Minecraft

lessons. Discussion of this activity should revolve around students success, or lack of, in

destroying their structure in the allotted time. Students may find they could not destroy

their structure in time because of various reasons. The dialog may bring up the need to

double check the work in their equations, the selection of their fixed number may have
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 25

affected them, or they could come to the realization that they could not move straight

from block to block breaking each in perfect succession. In this case, their speed may

have been affected by a lack of player control or they may recognize that Minecraft

imposes a delay between the breaking of one block to the next. This point is an important

topic for the teacher to emphasize and let students expound upon. It is not directly related

to the lesson, but it allows students to exercise problem solving and experiment

evaluation skills. These are skills essential for designing and optimizing experiments,

skills that can be applied in every area of life under the guise of finding the ideal route to

solve problems that arise throughout the day.

General Guidelines for Minecraft Lessons in the Math Classroom

The preceding lesson is of the authors own creation; subsequently, this serves as

a good reminder that the creative power of Minecraft does not exist just for students, but

for teachers as well. Interested teachers should not use only created lessons found online,

but rather they should play around in Minecraft for themselves and create activities

stylized for their individual classrooms. Two specific math lessons within Minecraft have

been provided. They have been put forth as points of inspiration to stimulate interested

teachers with their own ideas for using Minecraft in the math classroom. The possibilities

of Minecraft are not limited to these two topics but can be applied to nearly any

mathematical topic so long as the teacher can be inspired with the design for the activity,

remarkably similar to the process of generating any traditional lesson activity.

When designing a math lesson using Minecraft, it is important to remember the

basic mathematical skills students should learn and how Minecraft can aid in the

development of those skills. Minecraft is a hyper-geometric influenced environment. The

MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 26

basic building blocks are cubes, and players must manipulate these cubes during their

building and mining to create both different and larger geometric shapes compared to that

base cube. Minecraft inserts players into a geometric environment in which they must

exercise spatial awareness and reasoning to effectively interact with the environment of

the game. The Common Core Initiative recognizes that dynamic geometry

environments provide students with experimental and modeling tools that allow them

to investigate geometric phenomena (Mathematics Standards, 2015, High School:

Geometry: Introduction section, para. 8). Thus, fundamentally, Minecraft addresses a

technique which Common Core emphasizes as a way to improve the ability of geometry

students.

The basic skills of arithmetic such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and

division have a large, though often behindthescenes, role in the gameplay of Minecraft.

The crafting system of Minecraft relies heavily on arithmetic formulas. In general,

players will combine varying quantities of varying items to craft a new item. For

instance, to craft an iron pickaxe the player must combine two sticks and three iron ingots

in the correct layout. Thus, to effectively use the crafting system, players must mentally

calculate the resources needed to craft a specific number of a certain item. Typically,

players are performing these calculations without realizing it, yet the calculations are

often multistep and not so simple as the crafting of each item often has a varying

number of factors associated with it. Continuing the example of crafting an iron pickaxe,

the player must first mine three iron ore blocks and one wood block. The three iron ore

blocks must be smelted down in a furnace to generate the required iron ingots. Each iron

ore block will give one iron ingot, but the player must ensure the furnace has enough coal
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 27

to smelt the iron as each piece of coal will only smelt 8 items (Smelting, 2015). Also, the

one wood block will give the player four planks which will in turn generate four sticks

per plank. Thus, the players will recognize that one wood block breaks into sixteen sticks.

Using these gathered resources, the player will then be able to craft an iron pickaxe.

Thus, it is clear that many arithmetic calculations are performed by the player to create a

single item, and these calculations are increased if the player wants craft multiples of an

item. In fact, players looking to craft the maximum number of items with their given

resources solve basic linear programming problems. The first standard in the Standards

for Mathematical Practice put forth by the Common Core concerns the ability of students

to problem solve. The standard states:

Mathematically proficient students start by explaining to themselves the meaning

of a problem and looking for entry points to its solution. They analyze givens,

constraints, relationships, and goals. They make conjectures about the form and

meaning of the solution and plan a solution pathway rather than simply jumping

into a solution attempt. (Mathematics Standards, 2015, Standards for

Mathematical Practice section, para. 2)

A students ability to problem solve cannot be underestimated as a basic skill for

mathematics. Minecraft forces players to problem solve on a continual basis. Whether

finding a way to protect oneself from harmful creatures, devising a method to ensure

access to enough food to survive, or deciding how many resources are needed for a

building project and how to obtain them, players are continually problem solving as they

play Minecraft.
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 28

The skills of geometrical reasoning, arithmetic, and problem solving covered

above represent a few of the basic mathematical skills which Minecraft addresses for the

typical player. Targeted lessons and activities within Minecraft are not needed to draw

out these aspects of Minecraft. They are foundational to the gameplay of Minecraft itself.

Yet teachers interested in using Minecraft in the math classroom should keep these

properties of Minecraft in mind and look to emphasize one or more in their lesson. The

student will be exposed to all of these properties by simply playing the game, but the

teacher should look to develop an activity which focuses the learning of the student on a

specified property or properties.

Benefits of Minecraft in the Classroom

Minecraft is a relatively new appearance within the classroom, yet teachers have

already reported on the benefits witnessed by its introduction. David Smeaton

orchestrated a study in which he surveyed 17 teachers who had experience using

Minecraft in the classroom (Smeaton, 2013). The study aimed to assist in answering the

question, Is Minecraft a useful teaching tool? (Smeaton, 2013, p. 1). Respondents were

teachers from a variety of disciplines, including three math teachers. The relatively small

sample size of the survey can be attributed to the foundling stage Minecraft currently

holds as a teaching tool, yet despite this Smeatons study provides concrete feedback

from teachers with first-hand experience of Minecraft in the classroom. Overall, the

results of the survey were very positive. Over three quarters of surveyed teachers agreed

that Minecraft developed the following benefits for student learning: self-directed

learning skills, greater motivation and participation, and greater inclination to complete

classwork (Smeaton, 2013). These responses align with the responses of participants
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 29

from multiple other game-based learning studies. One teacher in a study responded with

The kids just adored itthe motivation level was really, really high after participation

in a game-based learning project involving video game consoles (Groff, Howells, &

Cranmer, 2012, p. 45). Teachers from this same study emphasized the teamwork and

problem-solving skills which game-based learning produced. After the project, a teacher

recalled, They were definitely working well together effectively, sharing things, making

decisions, a lot of critical thinking was going on as well (p. 46). The interactivity of the

lessons excited and engaged the participating students and the sparked these noted

positive learning behaviors.

A key benefit to Minecraft and general game-based lessons is their ability to bring

uncommonly pronounced abilities of students to the forefront. Teachers noted students

willingness to help out their peers with difficulties in-game. Even students who were not

typically seen as leaders or vocal took on new roles in the game-based lessons as they

found an opportunity to share with their peers in their area of expertise (Groff, Howells,

& Cranmer, 2012). Secondary STEM teacher Peter Tromba observed this emphasis on

non-traditional roles which Minecraft provides. He has used Minecraft in his lessons

multiple times and regarding the less engaged and detached students, students who,

according to Tromba, were talented and gifted but not necessarily identified as such, he

noticed they cleaved to the world of video games when they were played in the

classroom (2013, p. 20). Minecraft accentuates the distinct and commonly un-touted, yet

valuable, areas of expertise which students may have. Consequently, Tromba noticed that

students who were typically uninclined to partake in discussions or give their input on

activities gained confidence to express their thoughts amongst peers and teachers (2013).
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 30

Minecraft accentuates this aspect as a result of it being easy to learn but having a high

level of mastery. Therefore, students experienced in Minecraft may be inclined to help

less experienced peers learn the basics of the game. It also gives these students the ability

to use their Minecraft knowledge as a springboard for their groups achievement. In fact,

when Matthew Farber, author of Gamify Your Classroom, interviewed MinecraftEdu co-

founder Santeri Koivisto and asked him about the best way to deal with a mixed

collection of Minecraft abilities within the classroom, Koivisto responded that grouping

experienced players with beginners fosters great peer support and a transfer of knowledge

between peers (Farber, 2015). Koivisto went on to say, This is a great way for teachers

who want their teaching to be more interactive, more conversational (p. 99).

Following the upturn in enthusiasm within the classroom is the possibility of

difficulty in classroom management. One respondent to Smeatons survey noted,

Although the learners are highly motivated to play, the teacher needs to be quite strong

with classroom management (2013, p. 12). The need for strong classroom management

comes from the combination of the unique setting of a computer lab, collaboration

amongst students to accomplish the Minecraft activity, player activity within the game,

the novelty of playing a video game in math class, and the simple element of student fun.

When students are having fun, their enthusiasm and outward expression naturally

increase which can lead to issues with classroom management, but chatter stemming

from the excitement of learning is an improvement over chatter stemming from the

boredom of learning. The chatter is also due in large part to student conversations

revolving around ways to accomplish the Minecraft task. Thus, interested teachers should

be aware of the need to exercise good classroom management when implementing a

MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 31

Minecraft lesson, but it should not be daunting to the teachers once they understand the

generally positive source of the need for this management. One final worry of game-

based learning to address is that it may stifle student creativity by laying out a strict, step-

by-step path that students have to follow to win the games objective. In the case of

Minecraft, the foundation of player driven goals upon which Minecraft is built dispels

this difficulty.

Conclusion

Minecraft is still in the infancy of its implementation in the classroom, even more

so in the math classroom. Yet teachers who have already ventured to implement

Minecraft in their classroom have reported inspiring success. The early reports of success

have caused the small population of teachers using Minecraft to experience rapid growth

within the last couple years. The Internet contains resources, such the MinecraftEdu

World Library, MinecraftEdus forums, and the blog MinecraftEdu Elfie, to aid math

teachers interested in using Minecraft. Still, interested teachers should harness the

fundamental principle of imaginative creativity and freedom which Minecraft offers and

not be afraid to design their own lessons and activities to use in their classroom. Using

Minecraft as a teaching tool offers an awesome opportunity for math teachers to improve

the intrinsic desire for learning in their students and garner the ensuing benefits. David

Smeaton answering the driving question of his survey Is Minecraft a Useful Teaching

Tool? with a resounding Yes ought to offer the integration of Minecraft in the math

classroom a great confidence in the brightness of its future.

MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 32

References

Allsop, Y., Yildirim, E. Y., & Screpanti, M. (2013). Teachers beliefs about game based

learning: A comparative study of pedagogy, curriculum and practice in Italy,

Turkey and the UK. Proceedings of the European Conference on Games Based

Learning, 1-10. Retrieved October 9, 2015, from

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db

=ehh&AN=91950955&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Bloom, D. (2013, December 10). The Minecraft cell: Biology meets game-based

learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/minecraft-cell-biology-

meets-gbl-dan-bloom

Bos, B., Wilder, L., Cook, M., & O'Donnell, R. (2014). Learning mathematics through

Minecraft. Teaching Children Mathematics, 21(1), 56-59. Retrieved October 9,

2015, from

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db

=a9h&AN=97575968&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Bristow, E. (2013, November 21). Gaming in educationMinecraft in schools? Retrieved

from http://www.theedublogger.com/2013/11/21/gaming-in-education-minecraft-

in-schools/

Cicchino, M. I. (2015). Using game-based learning to foster critical thinking in student

discourse. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, 9(2). Retrieved

October 9, 2015, from

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db

=eric&AN=EJ1058589&site=ehost-live&scope=site
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 33

Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2015). Mathematics standards. Retrieved from

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/

Elford, S. (2015). Minecraft EduElfie [Web log post]. Retrieved October 9, 2015, from

http://minecrafteduelfie.blogspot.com/

Elliott, D. (2014, May). Levelling the playing field: Engaging disadvantaged students

through game-based pedagogy. Australian Journal of Language & Literacy,

37(2), 34-40. Retrieved October 9, 2015, from Academic Search Complete.

Farber, M. (2015). Gamify your classroom: A field guide to game-based learning. New

York City: Peter Lang Publishing.

Fleischman, H., Hopstock, P., Pelczar, M., & Brooke, S. (2010, December). Highlights

from PISA 2009: Performance of U.S. 15-year-old students in reading,

mathematics, and science literacy in an international context (United States,

Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics). Retrieved

from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011004.pdf

Foundation for Excellence in Education. (2015). Old standards v. Common Core: A side-

by-side comparison of math expectations. Retrieved from

http://excelined.org/common-core-toolkit/old-standards-v-common-core-a-side-

by-side-comparison-of-math-expectations/

Groff, J., Howells, C., & Cranmer, S. (2012, April 01). Console game-based pedagogy: A

study of primary and secondary classroom learning through console video games.

International Journal of Game-Based Learning, 2(2), 35-54. doi:

10.4018/ijgbl.2012040103.
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 34

Institute of Education Statistics. (2013, December). Selected findings from PISA 2012.

Retrieved from

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/pisa2012/pisa2012highlights_1.asp

Jacot, M. T., Noren, J., & Berge, Z. L. (2014). The flipped classroom in training and

development: Fad or the future? Performance Improvement, 53(9), 23-28.

doi:10.1002/pfi.21438

Jenkins, B. (2014). Don't quit playing: Video games in the STEM classroom. Techniques:

Connecting Education & Careers, 89(1), 60-61. Retrieved October 9, 2015, from

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db

=ehh&AN=94330401&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Luchs, C., & Pike, J. (2014, July 17). Jim Pike. In Mathcraft: How to Use Minecraft to

Teach Common Core Math. Retrieved from

http://www.instantpresenter.com/WebConference/RecordingDefault.aspx?c_psrid

=EB52D681884F

Mods. (2015, August 12). Retrieved October 9, 2015, from

http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Mods

Mojang. (2015). Minecraft store. Retrieved October 9, 2015, from

https://minecraft.net/store

Molnar, M. (2013, December 3). Educators weigh iPad's dominance of the tablet market.

Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/12/04/13ipad_ep-

2.h33.html
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 35

Powell, A. (2007, October 11). How Sputnik changed U.S. education. Retrieved from

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/10/how-sputnik-changed-u-s-

education/

Sandford, R., Ulicsak, M., Facer, K., & Rudd, T. (2006, September). Teaching with

games (Rep.). Retrieved http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/projects/teaching-with-

games/research/final-report

Siddiqui, A. (Director). (2013, June 19). Playtime online: Illustrations of Minecraft as a

classroom learning tool [Video file]. Retrieved from

http://www.instituteofplay.org/awsm/playtime-online/illustrations-of-minecraft-

as-a-classroom-learning-tool/

Smeaton, D. (2013). Minecraft as a teaching toolA statistical study of teachers'

experience using Minecraft in the classroom. Retrieved from

http://www.academia.edu/2624927/Minecraft_As_A_Teaching_Tool_-

_A_Statistical_Study_of_Teachers_Experience_Using_Minecraft_In_The_Classr

oom

TeacherGaming. (2015). MinecraftEdu. Retrieved October 9, 2015, from

http://minecraftedu.com/

Tromba, P. (2013). Build engagement and knowledge one block at a time with Minecraft.

Learning & Leading with Technology, 40(8), 20-23. Retrieved October 9, 2015,

from

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db

=ehh&AN=87855429&site=ehost-live&scope=site
MINECRAFT IN THE MATH CLASSROOM 36

Vigdor, J. L., & Institute for Public Policy Research, A. E. (2012). Solving America's

mathematics education problem (Rep.). American Enterprise Institute for Public

Policy Research. Retrieved October 9, 2015, from

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db

=eric&AN=ED534532&site=ehost-live&scope=site