Professional Development Catalog

Minecraft Education Professional Development provides educators with the skills and
knowledge to effectively integrate Minecraft into their teaching practice, which will lead to a
more engaging and effective learning experience for all students.

This document contains an overview of all training content that is available on how to teach
with Minecraft Education, the different delivery methods available, and guidance on which
training format is best for you or your organization.

See the impact of investing in MCEDU Professional Development

• How Cherokee County School District Teachers Use Minecraft Education in K-12 Classrooms
• How Wales created a national professional development program with Minecraft
• This District Rolled Out Minecraft and Teacher Collaboration Skyrocketed | EdSurge News

Navigating this Document:

• Training Content Overview:
1. Minecraft Teacher Academy
2. Block Coding Academy
3. Python Coding Academy
4. Minecraft Trainer Academy
5. Microsoft Esports Teacher Academy
6. Minecraft Student Ambassador Program
• Content Delivery Methods:
1. Asynchronous Learning on MS Learn
2. Live Training Cohort Models
3. 1:1 Training with a Microsoft Global Training Partner
• FAQ – Which Training Method is Best for Me?

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Training Content Overview:
1) Minecraft Teacher Academy (3 hours): Our hero learning course, which incorporates
Minecraft 101, 201, and 301, focuses on using Minecraft Education as a teaching and
learning tool to support strong pedagogical practices in the learning environment.
• 101: Let’s Build Individually (1 hour): Minecraft 101 is the recommended place to start
for any educator wanting to get started with MCEDU. 101 focuses on asynchronous
building, or students working in their own worlds. Many educators start with the 101,
deliver their first lesson with students, and come back to the other courses when they
feel ready. If you feel confident teaching Minecraft in your classroom after the 101, go
ahead and get started, however, to strengthen your knowledge and confidence, we
recommend coming back to complete the 201 and 301.
• 201: Let's Build Together (1 hour): Once teachers feel confident leading a lesson where
each of their students builds something related to their curriculum, they may be ready
to expand their skill set. Teachers will learn how to assess their students’ work with
assessment tools and how to host a multiplayer world for collaborative gameplay.
Practice is encouraged after, and after time teaching with these methods, educators
may be ready to explore advanced courses.
• 301: Let’s Modify Together (1 Hour): This is an advanced course that explores how to
build or modify your own worlds as an educator. You’ll learn how to use Worldbuilder
mode, add Non-Player-Characters to add context and assignments in-world, and explore
small group multiplayer instructions.

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2) Minecraft Block Coding Academy (6 hours): The modules in the Block Coding Academy
focus on how educators may use Minecraft Education to teach programming skills and
concepts to learners at all levels. The course is broken down into 2 sections: Block Based
Coding in MakeCode, and a transition from MakeCode to Python. Most educators will start
with the Block Coding course and come back to the Transition to Python course at a later
time! After completing each course, you'll receive the Block Coding badge and the Coding
and Beyond badge.
a. Pre-requisite: Ensure you have completed the Minecraft 101 module in the
Minecraft Teacher Academy prior to starting the Block Coding Academy.
3) Minecraft Python Coding Academy (6 hours): The modules in the Python Coding Academy
focus on supporting students through their coding journey using the text-based
programming language, Python. The course is broken up into 2 sections: Python in
MakeCode, and a transition to writing Python in Azure Notebooks. Upon completion, you'll
receive the Python Coding and Advanced Python badges.
a. Pre-requisite: Ensure you have completed the Minecraft 101 course or equivalent
training prior to starting the Python Coding Academy.

4) Minecraft Trainer Academy (1 hour): The Minecraft Trainer Academy walks educators
through best practices for preparing and facilitating a Minecraft Education training for their
organization, provides training materials, and inspires with ideas to create a training
environment that empowers all to use Minecraft Education. Great for technology coaches
who will be supporting the implementation of MCEDU and helping educators get started.
a. Pre-requisite: Ensure you have completed Minecraft 101-301 before taking this
course.

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5) Microsoft Esports Teacher Academy (3 hours): New to esports? Microsoft esports Teacher
Academy (META) covers the role of esports in education and career pathways, how to
integrate esports in educational settings, and how to build a thriving esports program in a
school through immersive exploration of Minecraft Education.
a. Pre-requisite: Ensure you have completed Minecraft 101 and 201 before taking this
course.
6) Minecraft Student Ambassador Program (4 hours): Have students at your school who are
Minecraft fanatics, and want to provide them with a leadership opportunity to help other
students or even teachers get started? By starting a Minecraft Student Ambassador
Program, a school can also connect with parents and the wider community by showcasing
the positive impact of the game on student learning and development. At the end of this
learning path, you'll become a Certified Minecraft Student Ambassador Sponsor.
a. Pre-requisite: Ensure you have completed Minecraft 101 and 201 before taking this
course.

Training Delivery Methods:

There are different ways to complete Minecraft Education training content, depending on
your needs. Whether you have a few teachers who want to get started right away or are hoping
to build and scale a community of practice within your school district, there’s something for
everyone! See the details below for the different consumption formats.

1. Asynchronous Learning on MS Learn

2. Live Training Cohort Model
3. 1:1 Training with a Microsoft Global Training Partner

1. Asynchronous Learning on MS Learn

Any educator can complete our FREE training pathways on MS Learn at their own pace. All the
following courses put the educator in control of their own learning, allowing them to focus on
the areas that are most relevant to their teaching practice and interests. Completion of each
course renders a badge on MS Learn.
Note that all Academies can be taken as part of a live cohort. See the ‘Join a LIVE Upcoming
Global Training Event’ section for more info.

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 • Minecraft Teacher Academy:
o 101: https://Aka.ms/minecraft101
o 201: https://Aka.ms/minecraft201
o 301: https://Aka.ms/minecraft301
• Minecraft Block Coding Academy: https://aka.ms/mcedu-blockcodingacademy
• Minecraft Python Coding Academy: https://aka.ms/mcedu-pythoncodingacademy
• Minecraft Trainer Academy: https://aka.ms/minecraft-trainer-academy
• Microsoft Esports Teacher Academy: https://aka.ms/microsoftesports
• Minecraft Student Ambassador Program: https://aka.ms/MCEDUStudentAmbassador

2. Live Training Cohort Model

Taking asynchronous courses on your own isn’t everyone’s jam – that’s why we offer regular,
recurring LIVE training cohorts you can join with other educators from around the world! All
cohorts meet regularly over 3-4 weeks to complete the courses together, and are led by
Minecraft Certified Trainers, and are available to all educators, for free!
Registration for all events can be found at: https://aka.ms/meeevents.
Each cohort is around 6 total hours, 1.5-2 hours a week for 3-4 weeks. It is expected that
attendees will preview the week’s content on MS Learn before the cohort event, and the

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session will be used to practice, play, and ask questions. This model is best for those who like
completing courses with a group and having the opportunity to learn from others and ask
questions along the way. It’s also a great way to build community!
Do you have a group of educators at your district who want to get started with MCEDU?
Encourage them to all sign up for an upcoming cohort together and support each other along
the way. You can register for all upcoming events at https://aka.ms/meeevents.

“I really enjoyed the collaborative sharing which allowed us to see the commonalities and challenges we face both
internationally and stateside. The collaborative nature of Minecraft truly supports the 21st Century mindset. I also really
enjoyed completing the lessons and Modules and bringing that knowledge into the following Wednesday session.” –
Minecraft Teacher Academy Cohort participant

3. 1:1 Training with a Microsoft Global Training Partner

If you’d like to schedule a customized Minecraft Education training for your school system, you
can reach out to any Microsoft Global Training Partner and receive a quote for any of the
trainings above.
All academies can be delivered virtually or on-site, as a cohort model, or over 1 or 2 full days. If
you share what goals you are trying to achieve, the training partner can customize the training
to match your audience’s needs – including tailoring to certain subjects or grade levels!
Reach out to a Minecraft Training Partner and request a quote here: Find A Trainer | Microsoft
Education.

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FAQs:
Review the FAQs below for insight into what training content and delivery method is best for
you:
1. How do I get set up and started with Minecraft Education?
First, you will need to have a valid Minecraft Education subscription. You can check if
your school is already licensed by asking your IT administrator. If you are not, you can
learn more about our free trial and licensing options here: Getting Started with
Minecraft Education – Minecraft: Education Edition Support. After you have the product
downloaded, we recommend going through Minecraft 101 on MS Learn to learn how to
bring this tool into the classroom. If you have any issues or questions, reach out to our
support team for help.
2. Why should I take a Minecraft Education training course before delivering a lesson to
my students?
A teacher who is trained on Minecraft Education will be able to navigate the platform
with ease, understand the features available, and provide students with guidance and
support. Training can help teachers understand how to design tasks, set objectives, and
assess learning outcomes effectively. A trained teacher can also manage student
behavior, set guidelines for appropriate use, and ensure that students stay on task.
There are a variety of ways to teach with MCEDU: You can have your students use a
blank world to build and demonstrate knowledge of a certain topic, or you can select an
existing world and lesson plan available in the in-game library. There are different ways
to manage lessons and assessment depending on your learning goals, and the training
will get you familiar with both mechanics of assigning a lesson and managing student
learning outcomes.
3. I’m an instructional technology, curriculum or professional learning leader in my
school organization and trying to map out a training plan for coaches or teachers in my
district to learn how to bring Minecraft Education to their classrooms. Where should I
start?
If you are just starting out, you’ll want to begin with our Minecraft 101 course and then
add on what feels best for your teaching audience. We recommend having a group of
teachers go through the Minecraft Teacher Academy together, either asynchronously or
through a virtual cohort. This will be a great way to build community and support
internally. If you have more advanced users, you might want to explore our 201 training
to add on some multiplayer and more advanced methods of assessment, or even
explore our esports and coding courses.

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 4. I am brand new to Minecraft Education and my students seem to know more about
the game than I do. Where should I start so I feel confident to deliver a lesson to my
class?
Don’t worry – we all have felt this way at some point! Harness that excitement from
your students to your advantage – it’s one of the best benefits of teaching with
Minecraft! Know that you do not have to be an expert gamer to teach with Minecraft –
you simply have to do what you do best, which is design a learning experience.
Minecraft 101 and its associated practice is designed to get you teaching your first
lesson right away so you can sit back and reflect and design your next one to build more
confidence. You got this!
5. Some of my students have never played Minecraft before. How do I help them get
started?
You are bound to have a few student experts in your class that can help! When
introducing Minecraft for the first time to your class, ask students to raise their hand if
they are Minecraft experts. Those students can be your class leaders and help other
students if they get stuck or need guidance.
We also have ‘How to Play’ tutorials on Movement, Breaking and Placing Blocks,
Assessment Features, and more in our ‘How to Play’ category in the in-game library.
Guide students here and they can get confident playing with a keyboard and mouse our
a touch-pad.
6. Will I learn how to assess student learning as part of the Minecraft teacher training?
Yes! Minecraft 101, 201 and 301 are a spiraling curriculum – they model a real-life
classroom lesson that you can directly teach your students, and models a teach –
release – reflect method of instruction. In each course, you will demo how to build
something, release students to build it, and then reflect with an assessment. That
assessment can be very simple – take a screenshot of your creation – to more advanced,
such as a screen recording walk through of the creation, a method that many students
are very familiar with.
7. I’ve completed the Minecraft Teacher Academy and am trying to figure out where to
take the next step in my training journey to take my experience to the next level.
What do you recommend?
Lucky you – the world is your oyster! Now you understand how your students can play
and learn alone or with classmates, and that you have a variety of ways to manage
lessons and assess. You may be ready to consider esports – designing a lesson where
students compete and build with and against each other for fun – or our entire Coding
Progression, or perhaps you want to start a Minecraft Student Ambassador program at

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 your school. You can also check out if there are any upcoming training cohorts on our
events page.
8. How can I overcome any technical issues or glitches that might arise while using
Minecraft Education?
We know that integrating a new technology can be daunting, especially when you are
busy with just the basics of keeping your classroom running smoothly. Our Support
Center has most issues documented so you can try to troubleshoot yourself, or drop a
question in our Support Forums. If you can’t find the answer you are looking for, submit
a ticket at https://aka.ms/fileaticket.
9. What is the value for an educator to start a Minecraft Student Ambassador program at
their school?
Your students love Minecraft and are extremely knowledgeable – we know that new
teachers using Minecraft can be apprehensive. Taking the excitement of your students
and giving them a leadership opportunity with it is a great way to build community and
team-building at your school site. Our Student Ambassador course showcases the
success of Atlanta Public Schools and details how you can recruit students, the activities
they can do like being lesson helpers or throwing events at your school, and more.

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