After extensive experimentation and design with Education Edition we’d like to issue the following recommendations to Microsoft to alter their software to enable stronger creative computational learning outcomes and better adoption by educators:
-
- Cultivate creativity more broadly
- Reduce distractions and barriers to learning
- Integrated tools for education research and evaluation
[Link to video on designing effective MCEE worlds]
Cultivate creativity more broadly
Right-click on robot to see other kids’ code (MakeCode link, offer to add, etc)
Full support to import Java Edition levels (the WorldBuilder mode or command blocks are never going to catch up to FAWE and datapack generation methods)
Allow players to have multiple agents at once
Ways to link computer-based Minecraft lesson plans to hands-on in-person Micro:bit activities
Reduce distractions and barriers to learning
Agent start block with an arrow indicating direction
STOP button, in-world UNDO action like WorldEdit
Easy ability to cut down or sort block library
Ability to lock down deployed worlds to adventure/peaceful
Cross-domain client play
Horizontal plane no-build block zones
Add minimap in the upper right (like Voxelmap)
Call the “agent” a robot
Support integrated tools for education research and evaluation
Code snapshot saving – websocket packet intercept to feed into knowledge-based diff tool that can help educators identify rigor and computational creativity; could help researchers manually identify creativity examples then later used to build AI answer key dataset
Participant activity reports (blocks traveled, proximity to robot, time spent with code editor open, commands issued, etc)
Make comments more visible in block code editor
Lesson Plan module builder or template that includes easy links to standards and handout examples