Gaming can be entertaining and can make learning fun at the same time! Game-based learning and gamification is a trend that has been implemented in many settings, including education, work place training, and social media. In many ways, learning has shifted from textbooks to mobile devices at home, especially during this pandemic
Learning can be reimagined using technology and games in a way that spices up the curriculum.
This year, I am excited to use Minecraft and Buncee to help my students learn through gaming while they are at home. In this activity, students have to accomplish the Gone Fishing mission in the Minecraft world. Then, students analyze the data, and build a graph to display their findings.
First, students enter into the Minecraft world, and find Mr. Goh, a Non-Player Character, or NPC. Mr. Goh gives the students then instructions for this activity, and students can click on the link to the Buncee lesson, which explains what bar graphs are, and how students can make a bar graph of their own.
Next, students return to the Minecraft world, and complete the Gone Fishing mission! Students can virtually fish, and reel in different kinds of fish, junk, and, if they’re very lucky, treasure! Students keep track of what they have caught, and at the end of the mission, they create a bar graph displaying their findings.
I love that my students can all work in this amazing virtual world, and that this activity helps them gain an understanding of how to convey data in a graph.
If you wish bring gamification and interactive fun to your classroom, this appsmashing activity is a great choice!
Meet the author
Goh Kok Ming is a primary educator, currently serving at one of the Under-Enrolled Schools in Perak. He is passionate about teaching and learning, and is especially excited about integrating technologies to help students learn.
