How to get kids interested in windfarms? Quite simply, Minecraft. In collaboration with The Crown Estate which owns Rampion Wind Farm, Microsoft has launched a new initiative to get students building their own wind farms.
Two Minecraft Education world’s, one based in Windsor Great Park and the other offshore, encourage students to learn more about windfarm planning, marine conservation and ecology.
The move comes amid concern around green education – with at least 35% of sustainability leaders saying they faced difficulties hiring talent with climate change skills.
In an event at the Rampion Visitor Centre, Minecraft tested the initiative on a class of Year 8 students, teacher and consultant with social impact agency Hopscotch Tracy Urch said:
“Sustainability as a subject can be made to seem difficult, but it’s all about breaking it down for young people and making it accessible. For students to effectively engage in a Minecraft world requires logic, problem solving and decision, so it’s a really useful way to use technology and learn about the topic.”
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The Crown Estate director of purpose, sustainability and stakeholder engagement Judith Everett said: “We’ve developed two worlds, and while the locations are different, they overlap in many respects because they’re about the environment”.
“The core goal is to get students thinking about how do we develop and continue using it and appreciating spaces without causing damage to the environment?”
Minecraft education director of learning experiences Justin Edwards added: “Minecraft is uniquely positioned to connect children to the topic. The game is almost 15 years old, and people are familiar with the blocky structure of it”.
“The open sandbox allows you to create anything you want, so whether it’s building a wind farm or even connecting people to world peace, you can achieve that in Minecraft because it’s completely adaptable, moreover it’s fun; Minecraft brings an enjoyable play experience to serious and important content.”
