Minecraft used To Teach Children Molecular Chemistry

Minecraft used to teach children molecular chemical

5 November 2015

The game of virtual world building Minecraft is played by millions of children around the globe, could be used in schools to teach chemistry.

A group of students from Hull University created an educational version of the game. It allows players to explore molecular structures created specifically for them, and learn about the chemistry behind them.

The goal is to involve young scientists in a fun and engaging way.

Minecraft players build using blocks to build structures and landscapes.

They are also encouraged to gather treasure and many other items.

'Fiendishly difficult'

The students created their project with the help of the university's Minecraft expert, Joel Mills, and senior lecturer in biological chemistry, Dr Mark Lorch.

Dr Lorch said: "Minecraft is a fabulous tool to study the structure of buildings, landscapes and even anatomy.

"So why not molecules? The video was shown to a group of children yesterday and there were many gasps and wonders.

"This draws their attention. It's a novel method to engage them and deliver information to them.

Students have created many other surprises for children to discover and explore, along with molecules and structures.
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Dr Lorch said: "You can just explore and read the info about the molecules. There are also treasure chests which contain books, puzzles and other goodies.

Some are easy to locate and others are more difficult to find. You'll probably have learned a lot of chemistry if it's possible to find them all.

Outreach

Dr Lorch, who also has the responsibility of involving young people with science, said: "If I've given them this information in a Minecraft world and shown them how to access it, they're more likely to find out about it than if I've given the information in a PowerPoint presentation."

The Hull team is currently testing the game, MolCraft, in secondary schools in London as part of a variety of university outreach projects.

However, it can also be used in primary schools to teach basic science, such as how atoms come together to make molecules.

It is also available on Minecraft's educational library, which contains versions for students and teachers.

This isn't the only time Minecraft has been used to engage children with topics of science.

A world has been developed to teach quantum physics, and many schools in Northern Ireland are using an modified version of the program to inspire creativity in writing and to engage young people in urban planning.

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University of Hull