How to Play Minecraft with Friends & Learn Skills like Coding?

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popular online game Minecraft

Gaming has become a popular lockdown activity for many youngsters especially during the lockdowns introduced by governments around the world. The popular online game Minecraft provides an escape and the opportunity to socialize and interact with others in a fun way online while also teaching children how to code. 

The hugely popular online game Minecraft, that has amassed 126 million active players worldwide since its launch in 2011, offers an Education Edition that schools and educators use to support the learning of programming. So, let’s discover how this can be utilized at home. 

How to use Minecraft Education in the Multiplayer Mode?  

After purchasing and downloading the popular online game Minecraft game on Minecraft.net, players can use it on computers, consoles, and even mobile devices. It enables players to build, imagine, and create worlds in a three-dimensional environment. They can develop their own rules and customs, guided by their game moderators or hosts. 

For the most individual gaming and learning experience, players can host their own Minecraft game with a reliable Minecraft Server Host. Using plugin-based replacement servers such as Bukkit, enables the host to add modifications and new user-created features such as money, vehicles, and more. 

Let’s see how you can get started to play and learn with friends, but you can also check out this short tutorial:

https://youtu.be/qEK76-FYSy0 

How to set up Multiplayer Minecraft Education Edition Games?

Minecraft offers extended free resources with its Education Edition to assist the learning of coding and participate in fun challenges and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning. 

You can download Minecraft Education Edition on Mac, iPad, Windows, Chromebook, and Android devices, and access a wide array of educational content. Note: The full game costs $5 per user per year to use for schools. Schools and local authorities that already have MinecraftEdu can get the Education Edition for free so speak to your child’s school or ICT teacher about the free home access and use. 

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The Minecraft Education Edition is based on the Bedrock Edition and its specific features make Minecraft more accessible and effective for playing and learning in a group, such as:

  • Learn to collaborate: Players can build worlds together and have to solve problems as a group. A whole class can play together in one game, but if students want to work together in pairs or groups separately, they can either join their classmates’ worlds or host their own game on a separate game server. 
  • Learn to communicate and instruct: Players can be selected to act as a guide for the other game players, giving instructions, providing more information or challenges etc. This could also be executed by a teacher or adult. Active web links can be included in the game for additional references or resources to enhance the learning.
  • Track everyone’s progress: Educators and players can collect evidence of learning in the game through tracking their progression. The camera and portfolio features enable players to take screenshots of their achievements and document the development of their projects as individuals and groups.
  • Learn to interact effectively: Through the live chat all players can constantly communicate with each other and plan their game strategically. They can also turn off/on some world settings to enhance the experience and adjust the difficulty levels.
  • Learn Coding: The Agent allows students to write code in a code editor which is then executed in the program. The Python language is mainly used for Minecraft. 

How to play Minecraft Education Edition at Home with Friends?

Players can start playing together by creating a Minecraft world on a Minecraft game server. For bigger groups of players it is advisable to use the UK Minecraft game hosting plans provided by SeekaHost as they offer up to 200 player slots per server. When managing a server factors such as 24/7 uptime, DDoS protection, technical support needs to be considered, hence why running a server on a home computer can be challenging and where children are involved, safety should always come first. 

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Once your game server is set up, you can use the following game ideas with your friends that you invite to your own game server.  Explore Minecraft’s virtual world-building platform while playing together in a group in the following ways:

Share Creative Ideas and Instructions

Players can build interactive environments together and give and follow simple instructions as they explore the Minecraft environment. This helps to improve their attention, listening and communication skills by exchanging ideas and instructions to enhance their game or add cool and fun features.

Cooperate to Create New Unique Worlds

Players can channel their creativity, cooperate, and build their own worlds by visualising them through art or designs they create together. The advantage of that is that it will attract other players to their server, who look for unique gaming experiences.  

Learn about and Recreate Real Worlds 

Players can copy structures found in the real world and include animal cells for example. Together they can educate each other about different animal species, different architectural structures, historic facts etc. and incorporate their knowledge into their worlds. They can also learn about new facts of the natural world, which they can incorporate in their worlds. 

Minecraft is the perfect Game for Learning with Friends

Minecraft Education Edition is especially useful for groups of players as it enhances the learning. It brings people of all backgrounds together while teaching important skills such as coding, communication skills and much more. With its outstanding safety and certified learning features, it is the perfect group activity, offering many benefits while connecting friends in the virtual world.  

Many popular multiplayer servers offered by the best game hosts like SeekaHost Minecraft Server Hosting contain custom minigames or large survival or creative worlds for the best gaming experience even for beginners. So, start playing and learning from home with Minecraft while you are confined to your home. 

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