So there is a common misconception that kids just sit in front of computer screens, veg out and let their social skills atrophy in the process of playing video games.  Perhaps that is the case but I am not seeing it in this after school group setting.  This is a time-lapse video of our club.  This is what a virtual playground looks like.  It looks like the NYSE trading floor in there!  Our days were typically even more active than this.  In these clips, our teams were busy finishing up their builds and not trading nearly as much as in previous sessions.  The necessary act of trading that I forced on this session (through creating a customized world map) is what fostered this level of activity and communication across groups.   This probably looks like mayhem to a teacher and I’m sure it sounded like it at times too.  Minecraft produces such a high level of engagement in kids that they can be given an atypical level of latitude to speak and move freely about the room yet remain on task.

 

                    

Next week we begin our tours of the other regions, see what they built, how they utilized their turtles and then vote for the team that was able to accomplish the most.  I can’t wait to look closely at each teams work and marvel at their natural creativity.