In James Holloway's article entitled "School Imposes Compulsory Minecraft Lessons" on Gizmag, he informs the reader that a Swedish school has decided to start using a video game, Minecraft, to educate it's students.
For example, in the article, James Holloway, a writer for Gizmag, states, "A Swedish school has made headlines, first at home and then abroad, by making super-popular build-em-up video game Minecraft compulsory for students aged 13." The school has done something quite uncommon, making Minecraft, a video game about building whatever you can imagine, a component of its students' education. Though the students will only play the game for a short time while they're 13, they will still have the opportunity to enjoy a new way of getting educated.
In addition, James Holloway also states in the article that "Minecraft, which lets players share a procedurally generated
world, and fill it with constructions built lovingly and painstakingly
out of a variety of texture mapped cubes, is a stellar example. It
inspires thought and creativity without repelling players with rote
learning, rigid structure, or the fusty whiff of the classroom." Minecraft allows its players, the students, to freely express their creativity. They can escape the boring classroom to learn in a much more enjoyable way.
Additionally, James Holloway writes, "It's not as if Minecraft has replaced one of the core subjects
on the school's timetable. This is merely something the school's
students will do for a while when they're 13." The game has not replaced anything important in the students' school careers. Minecraft has only been used to temporarily supplement their education.
On a related note, schools and classrooms all over the world are implementing Minecraft, as well as many other kinds of games, in order to help educate children and get children interested in learning. This fun change could help reverse the idea amongst some kids, especially American children and teenagers, that school is not a good place to go to.
In conclusion, a Swedish school, by implementing a video game into the curriculum, has become one of the potential leaders of the world as we continue into the future trying to find a way to better educate our youth.
