Above are a few of the many things we do in a playground. A contemporary playground can be both real and virtual- Minecraft is one of these virtual playgrounds where we can find new ways to express ourselves.
Minecraft club has been active for the last four years, providing a safe place for children to play together. One of the most popular school clubs, it boasts between 25-50 kids weekly, eager to get together and build things.
Now situated in our Library MakerSpace, students play Minecraft PE on their iPads and more recently have the opportunity to build on Minecraft Pi- playing together on a Raspberry Pi!
The Raspberry Pi is a tiny and affordable computer that you can use to learn programming through fun, practical projects.
Observing the interactions and many amazing creations unfold I have come to realise that there is no distinction between a virtual and real place. The values and agreements which we uphold in real playgrounds are the same in virtual playgrounds. The skills we develop in both spaces contribute to gaining a deeper understanding of the web.
Web literacy is described as “the skills and competencies needed for reading, writing and participating on the web“.
The Mozilla Foundation believes the Internet must always remain a global public resource that is open and accessible to all. To support their mission they developed the above web literacy map as a framework for entry-level web literacy & developing 21st Century skills.
It is opportunities and experiences in places such as Minecraft club that provide a space for everyone to develop these web literacy skills which in turn contribute to a more open society and compliments the International Baccalaureate mission which aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
(original post created for school community)