Running Header: MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM

Research Proposal
Minecraft in the Classroom: A Novel approach to increase Middle Schoolers
Engagement and Achievement in the Humanities Classroom

Anita Heitz
ETEC 500
The University of British Columbia

B. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
Research Proposal:
Minecraft in the Classroom: A Novel approach to increase Middle Schoolers
Engagement and Achievement in the Humanities Classroom
Introduction:
Every September teachers open their doors and greet their new students for the
year. The students that are walking though the classroom doors today are part of the net
generation; these are students who are engaged with video games from toddlerhood on.
According to Simpson and Clem (2008) a study conducted in 2004 showed that 92% of
children aged two to 17 played video games (p,5). One can assume that as technology is
becoming more readily accessible with the increase of mobile devices that the number of
children playing games from a very young age is increasing. Even though children are
continuously bombarded with technology at home, these same students are expected to
learn in traditional ways at school. Students often find these antiquated techniques mind
numbing and irrelevant to their lives. (Simpson and Clem, 2008, p.4). Teachers are
charged to teach these 21st Century learners in relevant ways and therefore need to engage
them in ways they can relate to. An answer to this problem could be to incorporate
mainstream video games, such as Minecraft, into the classroom.
Problem:
Teachers are faced with a dilemma as they are expected to teach and engage 21st
Century Learners with 20th Century resources. As the net generation continues to move
throughout the school system student scores from grades 3 to 12 have continued to
regress (Annetta, 2008, p. 229). At the same time technical jobs are increasingly being
outsourced to other countries (Annetta, 2008, p. 229). The workers of the 21st century
must have science and mathematics skills, creativity, information, and communication
2

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
technologies skills, and the ability to solve complex problems (Annetta, 2008, p. 231).
What this research is showing is that the resources and methodologies currently being
used do not meet todays students where they are, nor do they provide todays students
with the skills they will need to obtain the highly technical jobs that are emerging. Every
day teachers struggle to bridge this gap. One idea that many teachers are grappling with
revolves around incorporating common technology and play into their classrooms.
Essentially they are asking if video games can be used to increase not only student
engagement with curriculum, but also increase achievement. Within this study we will
take a look at the pop-culture phenomenon Minecraft, testing to see if playing this game
in class can increase the engagement and achievement of students within the grade 7
humanities classroom.
Review of Literature
With nearly 410 million video games sold in 2008, one can see that the area of
video game research is something that is needed and affects of these games will continue
to be researched (Gonzalez, Pomares, Damas, Sanchez, Rodriguez-Alvarez and
Palomares, 2013, p.199). Throughout the last few decades much time and energy has
been focused on studying the effects of video games on students; many studies dealt with
the affect of violent video games. Recently, however, research is being focused on the
educational uses of video games. Not surprisingly, many of these studies have found that
video games can be an incentive for students to work harder (Grobelink, Holt and
Prasnikar, 1999, p. 211.). Connections that students may feel to these systems may
remind them of fun they have had with family and friends (Gonzalez et al, 2013). With
these connections being made, one can see how incorporating games into the classroom

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
may allow students to have a better attitude about the material they are learning. Studies
including one conducted by Grobelink and his colleagues (1999), showed a link between
playing video games in the classroom and student engagement and achievement. Studies
such as these have led to the popularity of serious games now marketed towards
educators.
The video game industry has found a way to engage young people in a way that
traditional education cannot. In fact, many games create a fan culture where its players
not only play the game but also interact in online worlds; these worlds often become so
real to the players that they spend much of their time reading, talking and fantasizing
about every aspect of these games (Annetta, 2008, p. 230). Teens and pre-teens, those
who are often hardest to engage at school, are also the demographic that spends the most
time gaming. In fact, middle school aged boys spend an average of 23 hours and girls12
hours per week playing video games (Simpson and Clem, 2008, p. 5). For this reason the
idea of serious games is one that is appealing to many educators and administrators as
these games tie technology, play and curriculum together. These educational games often
require the use of problemsolving, critical thinking, logic, memory and visualization
skills. These games are affirming the notion that play is important to the learning
process. Rather than rote memorization and drill and kill methods of instruction, playing
games provides students with the ability to practice thereby increasing achievement
(Annetta, 2008, 232). This is what many serious games do; they provide scenarios that
students work through, using critical thinking and often collaboration skills to work
through a set problem (Annetta, 2008, p. 233). These games have been found to increase
engagement as they are motivating and appealing, thereby also improving student

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
achievement (Annetta, 2008, p. 233). The problem with these types of games is that
specific software only allows for certain types of problems to be solved. Surely these
video game creators do this strategically, as they can then produce more software and
games to meet specific learning outcomes. As outcomes and curriculum change, these
games require updates generating more revenue for the video game creators.
Games not only engage students to learn more, they are also providing students
with the much-needed skills that 21st century learners will need in the workforce. One of
the most essential skills that students need to leave the school system with is literacy.
Traditionally literacy has been defined the ability to read, write, communicate, and
comprehend and has encompassed language skills evolved from writing, vocabulary
knowledge, and meaning construction. (Hsu and Wang, 2010, p. 401). While traditional
literacy still remains crucial to the ability to function well in society, the idea of a new
literacy is also emerging, one where students need to be able to use information and
communication technology tools to identify questions, locate information, evaluate the
information synthesize information to answer questions, and communicate the answer to
others (Hsu and Wang, 2010, p. 401). Video games allow students to practice these new
literacies through simulations (Hsu and Wang, 2010, p. 402). Simply playing video
games in the classroom does not ensure that these new literacys are being learned. What
Hsu and Wang (2010) found was teachers who included a debriefing process after playing
video games in the classroom allowed them to scaffold learning making greater
connections between the games they played, and the curriculum being taught (p. 407).
This could be a simple written reflection, or journal easily incorporated into lesson.

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
What serious games have been shown to do is increase motivation; engage
students with learning and support collaboration, communication, thinking as well as
information and communication technology skills. Furthermore they also allow students
to improve subject knowledge, ITC skills, problem solving and collaboration among
students who play them. (Baek, 2008, p. 665) Even with the plethora of serious games
available, and research to support the idea that video games increase learning, many
teachers are still not buying into the gaming at school concept. Teachers who choose to
utilize video games in the classroom generally have a different set of skills than those
who dont; they are familiar with the technology needed in order to have this function in
the classroom. Familiarity with technology is not the only hindering factor, however,
many teachers find it difficult to incorporate video games due to inflexible schedules and
limited budgets (Baek, 2008, p. 669). Other teachers believe that playing video games
has a negative affect on students, therefore, not using them in their classrooms (Baek,
2008, p. 670). Still other teachers did not believe their students were ready to handle the
independent work and responsibility to take ownership of their own learning, thereby not
utilizing video games as a teaching tool.
While there are many serious games available for teachers to use in their
classrooms, there is one mainstream game that is finding itself into more classrooms
across the world (Tromba, 2013, p. 23). Since its invention in 2009, Minecraft has sold
over 9 million licenses worldwide (Ludwig, 2013). At first glance Minecraft is
reminiscent of virtual Lego, where players use blocks of various mediums to create
aspects of their world. There are no instructions, no levels, no story line, no points and
no clear goals (Ludwig, 2013). What Minecraft does provide is a virtual canvas were

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
students have a large degree of control in terms of what they can create, thereby fostering
creativity and collaboration (Ludwig, 2013). Part of the flexibility to use Minecraft in
almost any curricular area is due to the fact that there is no storyline, unlike serious
games. Teachers can thereby use the game to create its own narrative (Elliot, 2014 p. 35).
This allows for good instruction design, where teachers can account for the needs of their
specific students and personalize instruction for their class (Tromba, 2013, p. 20).
Furthermore Minecraft provides students with the flexibility to log into an account from
both school or home (Elliot, 2014, p. 36). In fact, many Middle school students are very
familiar with this game and have personal accounts (Tromba, 2013, p. 21). In order to
facilitate the move of Minecraft into the classroom, Mineraft Edu was created, where
teachers can purchase licences for the game at a reduced rate and access lesson ideas.
Teachers can also exert a large amount of control in terms of what happens in the game
by creating customized mods and run different servers for their class (Ludwig, 2013).
While this does require a teacher who is at least somewhat tech savvy, the familiarity of
this game amonst students would allow students to assist in the running of a Minecraft
class server (Ludwig, 2013). The ability of students to teach other students, and even the
teacher, can increase student confidence, and as Elliot (2014) found and can actually
increase student attendance as students take more ownership of their learning and
education (p. 38). The idea of new literacy is very important in the playing of a game
such as Minecraft as students would be challenged to increase their information
technology skills as well as work collaboratively with peers in order to creatively create
their worlds (Elliot, 2014, p. 40).

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
Looking at past research one can see the using video games in the classroom
increases both engagement and achievement as well as help prepare 21st century learners
with the skills they will need in their future. Most studies have focused on serious games
where students go through various simulations in order to foster learning. The lack of
storyline in Minecraft allows the teacher and student to use creativity and collaboration,
essential 21st century skills, to write their own story. Using Mineraft in the classroom
could be a way to increase student engagement as well as achievement. With student
knowledge of the game along with the ability of teachers to modify this game to their
needs, this game could be the answer for many teachers to incorporate video games into
the classroom for educational purposes.
Research Method
The proposed study looking to see if using Minecraft in the grade 7 humanities
classroom can increase student engagement and to what degree it can increase student
achievement, will be qualitative in nature and will follow the pretest/posttest control
group design. Participants will be randomly selected from the accessible population and
be randomly assigned to either the treatment group or the control group.
Participants:
The target population for this study would include middle school students within
District 34. In order to make a study like this possible the accessible population would
include all grade seven students at one school within the district. The choice of middle
school students was strategic in that these students are part of the demographic that
spends the most amount of time playing video games (Simpson and Clem, 2008, p.5).

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
WA Fraser Middle School was chosen as a representative sample of the District as it is
representative of the socio economic demographics in the area.
Sixty of the 240 grade seven students currently enrolled at Fraser Middle School
will be randomly selected using a table of random numbers. Each of the enrolled students
will be given a number 000-239. A five-digit random number will be selected, if the last
three digits match the one of the student numbers, that student will be selected to
participate in X1 with a treatment of Minecraft instruction. The first 30 students
randomly selected will become part of the treatment group (X1), the next 30 students
selected by the aforementioned method will make up the control group (X2) with
traditional instruction.
As with any study conducted there is always a risk where simply being in the
study may cause undue stress on a participant. For this reason all participants and
guardians will be required to fill out an informed consent form. Both parents and
participants will be informed of the purpose, procedure and possible risks associated with
the study. Confidentiality of participants in the study will be maintained. Ethically both
groups will need to be treated fairly by both teachers involved as well as the researcher to
ensure that psychological and social harm be avoided.
Instruments and Materials:
Each student in the X1 group will need access to a computer at school for the duration of
the 6 week unit. In addition, each computer will need to be equipped with Minecraft
software and a Minecraft license and account, which can be purchased through Minecraft
Edu. The teachers and researcher will also need to construct a pre-test/post-test that will

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
measure the outcomes that students will need to achieve over the course of the unit.
Teacher B must also use his/her traditional material to teach the control group (X2). The
researcher and teacher A must work together to create tasks within Minecraft that will
help students learn the outcomes to be tested. Both groups X1 and X2 will need to learn
the same outcomes on a weekly basis to ensure that equal time is spent on each outcome
or topic covered. Additionally the teachers and researcher must discuss what engagement
looks like and fill out an engagement scale developed by the researcher and teachers.
This will be used to measure how engaged students are in their lessons.
Procedure:
The study will take place in two different locations. The study group will be
taught in the computer lab as computer and internet access is required. The control group
will be instructed in Teacher Bs classroom.
The teachers and researcher involved in the study will work closely together as
the study is set up to ensure that the same outcomes are taught on a weekly basis. Once
the study commences Teachers A and B will be instructed not to discuss any aspects of
the study to ensure the integrity of the study remains in tact. The researcher will assist
Teacher A (X1) in creating the Minecraft world that students will work. Each lesson will
be broken down into a task that students will have a due date to compete. Teacher A will
ensure that each module meets with the outcomes students need to achieve for the unit,
and will mirror the outcomes taught by Teacher B in the control group (X2) that week. In
accordance to previous research students in both groups will also be asked to write
weekly reflections in a journal where they reflect on what they have learned that week

10

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
(Hsu and Wang, 2010, p. 407). This would be done in hopes to allow students to make
connections between what is happening in their weekly activities and the outcomes they
are striving to meet.
Since students from both groups will be attending other classes together through
the day it is important that both groups feel that they are being treated equally to ensure
that treatment diffusion does not occur. In order to account for this the control group (X2)
will be told that they will also participate in a Minecraft based unit in their next unit of
study.
Students will then go through a pretest, posttest model.
R , O, X1, O (Minecraft)
X1 includes 6 tasks, 1 to be completed each week
R, O, X2 ,O (Traditional Instruction)
X2 includes 6 lessons, 1 to be completed each week
Research Design and Analysis:
While studies are starting to emerge where the focus is on the use of Minecraft in the
classroom, many of these studies are Qualitative in nature. In order to show the increased
achievement that Minecraft can be an effective mode of instruction in the classroom
studies quantitative in nature would need to be completed. That is where this study will
commence. By increasing student engagement through the use of Minecraft in the
humanities 7 classroom, we will seek to show that student achievement with the
utilization of this game will follow.
11

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
Students begin the unit with a pretest. Both groups X1 and X2 will receive the same
pretest, will receive the same topics of instruction each week and then both receive the
same test again to measure learning.
Once tests have been completed statistical analysis will also be completed. A T-test will
be used to compare the pretest and posttest scores of both X1 and X2 in order to compare
the means of the two groups to measure differences in achievement. Additionally the
teachers scores of student on task time will also be compared also using a T-test.
Furthermore, an ANOVA test will also be performed to see if the differences between the
treatment and control groups is statistically significant. If the ANOVA analysis shows
significance then type 1 and type 2 errors will be investigated further to ensure that any
significance found is accurate.
Schedule of Events:
The course of the study will take approximately 12 weeks to complete.
Week 1-3:

Work with teacher to develop materials: Unit plan for X2, same
outcomes as X1, create Minecraft tasks, create pretest/posttest to
measure outcomes from the unit

Week 4:

Input all enrolled grade 7 student names into the matrix so 60

can be randomly selected and then 30 can be randomly assigned
to each treatment group. Conduct pretest

Week 5-11

Instruction of the unit and conduct posttest

Week 12:

Data analysis

12

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
Discussion:
The significance of this study should support what we already know about the use of
video games and how they can have a powerfully positive impact on both the engagement
and achievement for students. Minecraft is a game that has recently come into the realm
of education and it is intriguing many teachers as to see how it can be incorporated into
the classroom to be used as a tool to deliver curriculum. Through this quantitative study
one will be able to see if integrating Minecraft into the classroom will increase the
achievement of middle school students. There are certain threats to the validity of the
study that the researcher conducting this study needs to be aware of. First off is the
novelty affect (Gay et al. p. 276). Since Minecraft is a game that is enjoyed by millions
of players around the world, one can assume that many middle school aged children will
already have accounts to play this game. This game, however, is rarely allowed to be
played at school. For this reason, the idea of playing a video game such as Minecraft
during instructional time may in fact a novel experience. Once this game is utilized more
for education purposes the fun factor for such an experience may decrease thereby
making this a less successful method of instruction. Furthermore, when groups are
participating in a study there is always a chance of the John Henry effect (Gay et al. p.
276), where members of the control group put more effort into their class-work and
assignments thereby achieving higher sores than normal. Additionally, as with any
pretest posttest design there is always there is always a possibility that students will
perform better on the posttest just by having taken the pretest. This type of effect should
have been ruled out with statistical analysis. Lastly treatment diffusion is also an issue
when both the treatment and control group are in the same building for an extended

13

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
period of time. Although we have accounted for treatment diffusion by asking the
teachers not to communicate regarding the experiment, the participants will likely interact
with friends who are in both groups. Students will likely discuss what they are doing in
class, and this can affect the effectiveness of this study. Lastly, it would be suggested that
in the future the results of this study be seen as preliminary for a much larger province or
nation wide study.

14

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM
References
1. Annetta, L.A. (2008). Video Games in Education: Why They Should Be Used and
How They Are Being Used. Theory Intro Practice, 47, 229-239.
2. Elliot, D. (2014). Levelling the Playing Field: Engaging Disadvantaged Students
Through Game Based Pedagogy. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 22 (2),
34-40
3. Gay, L.R., Mills G.E. & Airasian, P. (Eds.), Educational Research: Competencies
for Analysis and Application 10th Edition (pp. 436-441). New Jersey, USA:
Pearson Publishing.
4. Gonzalez, J., Pomares, H., Damas, M., Garcia-Sanchez, P., Rodriguez-Alvarez, M
& Palomares, J. (2013). The Use of Video-Gaming Devices as a Motivation for
Learning Embedded Systems Programming. IEEE Transactions on Education,
56(2), 199-207
5. Groblink, M., Holt, C., & Prasnikar, V. (1999). Classroom Games: Strategic
Interaction on the Internet. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 13 (2), 211-220).
6. Hsu, H-Y., Wang, S-K., (2010)., Using Gaming Literacies to Cultivate New
Literacies. Simulation & Gaming, 43 (3), 400-417.
7. Ludwig, S. (2013). Block party. School Library Journal, 59(3), 34-n/a. Retrieved
from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/1313520148?
accountid=14656
8. Simpson, E & Clem, F (2008). Middle School Journal, 39 (4), 4-11
9. Tromba, P. (2013). Building Engagement and Knowledge One Block at a Time
with Minecraft. Learning and Leading with Technology, 40(8), 20-23.

15

A. Heitz
MINECRAFT IN THE CLASSROOM

16