Communication Tool # 5 Minecraft

Minecraft

Minecraft.com is a gaming program which allows students to build cities, monsters, weapons, etc.. Students can use this in the classroom in any subject area. In math students can use this tool to study area, perimeter, volume, and angles. In social studies students can create ancient or present cultures with the teacher adding issues that kill off cultures like famine and disease. Students can create cities with an economy and trading system. Students could create some of the weapons being used on countries or alternate sources of energy. This tool is far reaching and students love it because it is considered a game.

Features: customizable, mods available for download, works well with minecraftedu, gaming, secure, free

EVALUATION RUBRIC FOR WEB 2.0 COMMUNICATION TOOLS

	LACKING	GOOD	OUTSTANDING
Learning Effectiveness	- Only lower order thinking skills or less than two higher order thinking skills are assessed - Experiences are limited to only the creator - The application does not extend learning beyond what the teacher has already taught	- Assesses  at least two higher order thinking skills - Provides real world experiences - When combined with teaching, the application extends the student’s learning	- Assesses higher order thinking skills (create, analyze, apply and evaluate) - Provides simulations and real world experiences - When combined with teaching, the application extends the student’s learning
Reliability & Support	- Student needs direct support over 50 percent of the time - The program is slow and lags - There are no fixes to human error with the exception of starting over	- Student is able to access the program with limited support - Efficiency in speed and design - Easily fixes human error with online help	- Student is able to access the program with no support - Efficiency in speed and design - Easily fixes human error
Ease of Use	- Program does not save work, student must print work out - Students have difficulty learning the tool - The tool provides only               single applications	- program automatically saves work - most students easily learn the tool - student can use up to 3 applications within the tool	- Program automatically saves work - Students at all levels are able to learn the tool easily - Student can use several applications within one tool (video, communication, presentation, audio)
Safety	-      Academic ads Academic links Secure environment Teacher control to share work & interact with other users	Ad free Academic links Individual login Secure environment Teacher control to share work & interact with other users	Ad free Academic links Individual login Secure environment Class roster to share work & interact with other users
Technology Requirements	Minimal cost No storage Collaborate on projects, documents Web-based Use on two platforms:  laptops iPads, iPods, Kindles	Free student & staff accounts Internet cloud storage Collaborate on projects, documents Web-based Use on multiple platforms:  laptops iPads, iPods, Kindles	Unlimited free student, staff & parent accounts Internet cloud storage Simultaneous collaboration on projects, documents Web-based Use on multiple platforms:  laptops iPads, iPods, Kindles
Curriculum	Common Core aligned K-5 Some content areas	Common Core aligned K-12 State aligned K-12 Scaffolds Numerous content areas	Common Core aligned K-12 State aligned K-12 Scaffolds Numerous content areas Taxonomy availability