Latest Tweets:
Minecraft English - final evaluation
After yesterdays final lesson in minecraft english I did an evaluation with the students. I have also regrouped and reflected on my failures, and here’s a list of things I will be considering for my next course:
Server, server, server!
Before I start next time I will need to run some more tests with the server to make sure the hardware can take the amount of clients I need it to. Far too much time was wasted on getting the maps up and running. Most of these problems were hardware and windows related and a result of lack of experience with working with the mod.
Logins prepped
Some time was spent both logging students onto windows and logging onto minecraft accounts. This process needs to be streamlined some more.
Changing spawn points
There was an issue with spawn points, where students spawned far from our actual island. I had the need to define a spawn point and for some reason, I didnt have full control over this, so this is something I will need to figure out when doing some more testing.
Prepare map before lesson
Since I used several pc’s to run the server from, I forgot which version of the world was the latest version. This resulted in several instances where the server map was outdated - and both students and I found this very demotivating. I think it would motivate students if I placed some assets around the map and had more specific activities prepared for each lesson.
Collaboration needs premises
On several occasions I asked my students to collaborate in groups on building certain things. I expected them to take more initiative and to communicate more freely, but for this group of students it was too much to expect. There is a need to specify what the assignment is, and how they are to do it.
Milestones
In planning a future course I need to define an end goal with the students and lay down some milestones to navigate by. I think this will give a greater sense of achievement and more motivation to pursue the goals set.
Specific assignments - challenge based
I need an array of specific assignments that I can have ready in case a student needs a plan b or needs new challenges. I feel I ran short of challenges and new objectives for the game. My role as teacher is actually being the gamemaster and the game should evolve like a story with challenges arising as the story unfolds. This also means being one step ahead of the game/story and being able to see when a certain activity has reached completion, needs to be evaluated and replaced by a new one.
Not ideal for writing practice
Writing is difficult as it does’nt give meaning when students can talk to each other. As far as I have been able to observe, writing as the main means of communication hasn’t given much meaning to most of the students, even though some did prefer writing instead of talking.
Quiet students avoid speaking unless asked
There were a few students who didn’t say much except when they were asked. This wasn’t because they couldn’t speak - it was more the result of a quiet personality. I think this group of students needs to be kept in mind, if they are to develop their speaking skills. They need a platform where they are gently “nudged” into speaking.
Let experienced students instruct the class(and me!)
The great difference in minecraft experience could have been utilized to let the experienced share their know how in student led workshops.
Too many side activities
I started the course by letting them evaluate themselves in a form, I think I will drop this for next time, as it was too time consuming.
Final thought
Success is to have a strategy to navigate through chaos.
Server, server, server!
Before I start next time I will need to run some more tests with the server to make sure the hardware can take the amount of clients I need it to. Far too much time was wasted on getting the maps up and running. Most of these problems were hardware and windows related and a result of lack of experience with working with the mod.
Logins prepped
Some time was spent both logging students onto windows and logging onto minecraft accounts. This process needs to be streamlined some more.
Changing spawn points
There was an issue with spawn points, where students spawned far from our actual island. I had the need to define a spawn point and for some reason, I didnt have full control over this, so this is something I will need to figure out when doing some more testing.
Prepare map before lesson
Since I used several pc’s to run the server from, I forgot which version of the world was the latest version. This resulted in several instances where the server map was outdated - and both students and I found this very demotivating. I think it would motivate students if I placed some assets around the map and had more specific activities prepared for each lesson.
Collaboration needs premises
On several occasions I asked my students to collaborate in groups on building certain things. I expected them to take more initiative and to communicate more freely, but for this group of students it was too much to expect. There is a need to specify what the assignment is, and how they are to do it.
Milestones
In planning a future course I need to define an end goal with the students and lay down some milestones to navigate by. I think this will give a greater sense of achievement and more motivation to pursue the goals set.
Specific assignments - challenge based
I need an array of specific assignments that I can have ready in case a student needs a plan b or needs new challenges. I feel I ran short of challenges and new objectives for the game. My role as teacher is actually being the gamemaster and the game should evolve like a story with challenges arising as the story unfolds. This also means being one step ahead of the game/story and being able to see when a certain activity has reached completion, needs to be evaluated and replaced by a new one.
Not ideal for writing practice
Writing is difficult as it does’nt give meaning when students can talk to each other. As far as I have been able to observe, writing as the main means of communication hasn’t given much meaning to most of the students, even though some did prefer writing instead of talking.
Quiet students avoid speaking unless asked
There were a few students who didn’t say much except when they were asked. This wasn’t because they couldn’t speak - it was more the result of a quiet personality. I think this group of students needs to be kept in mind, if they are to develop their speaking skills. They need a platform where they are gently “nudged” into speaking.
Let experienced students instruct the class(and me!)
The great difference in minecraft experience could have been utilized to let the experienced share their know how in student led workshops.
Too many side activities
I started the course by letting them evaluate themselves in a form, I think I will drop this for next time, as it was too time consuming.
Final thought
Success is to have a strategy to navigate through chaos.
-
wyattjd reblogged this from gamebased
-
cheap5hot liked this
-
cheap5hot reblogged this from gamebased
-
905x289x647 liked this
-
wheretruthandfictioncollide liked this
-
minecraftteacher reblogged this from gamebased
-
alansdad liked this
-
gamebased posted this
