Swedish School Imposes Compulsory Minecraft Curriculum

[4evermom]

http://www.thelocal.se/45514/20130109/#.UPWKNY70AnX

A school in Stockholm has made headlines after introducing compulsory Minecraft lessons for 13-year-old students, with teachers hoping the Swedish computer game will encourage the children to develop their thinking.

"They learn about city planning, environmental issues, getting things done, and even how to plan for the future," Viktor Rydberg teacher Monica Ekman told English-language The Local."

http://www.gizmag.com/compulsory-minecraft-lessons/25781/

 

"Video games don't have to teach reading, writing or arithmetic to be educational. There's a strong argument that the best examples wear their educational merits lightly."

[phathui5]

My 12 year old loves Minecraft. This makes me feel better!

[moonlight123]

This is very awesome!!

[publicnerdity]

Sweden sure is into things being compulsory. I don't care if it happens to be something I like, I just dislike the mania toward compelling people's choices away. Sweden and Germany have also both made homeschooling illegal, so public school is also compulsory. Lovely, eh?

[heket]

Originally Posted by publicnerdity 

Sweden sure is into things being compulsory. I don't care if it happens to be something I like, I just dislike the mania toward compelling people's choices away. Sweden and Germany have also both made homeschooling illegal, so public school is also compulsory. Lovely, eh?

Yup. It's neat a school is willing to do this, but making it compulsory is a bit much. There are kids who do not like Minecraft.

[4evermom]

I think we (homeschoolers and US citizens) have an aversion to the word compulsory. But a "compulsory" class is just another way of saying "part of the curriculum." US schools typically give very little class choices before the high school level. It's all compulsory.

And just as some kids don't like Minecraft, there are those that don't like Art, Music, etc. It's nice to have the educational value of Minecraft recognized though I'm just as happy to not have any more educational requirements than possible, either:-)

[Ruthiegirl]

"Compulsory" is a loaded word.  It makes me think of kids miserably toiling away at their desks for hours on end.  

We lived in Sweden a few years ago and my children attended school.  Homeschooling was not illegal, but very unusual and we wanted our kids to be immersed in the language and culture.  School in Sweden was absolutely brilliant for my children.  We have often thought about moving back simply for the schools -- my kids loved them!  And I loved them.  

In our experience, school was very gentle there.  There was a terrific emphasis on learning through play.  My kids were exposed to multiple subjects ranging from basic reading and writing to wood working and creative story telling and ice skating and language and more and more and more.  I don't remember anything being pushed hard.  

When I hear that they have Minecraft in schools there, I imagine that it is simply another available subject to the children.  

Not to derail the debate, but I did think that a bit more first hand experience was needed.  

[4evermom]

Yes, compulsory is just an eye catching headline word in this context. It's considered acceptable and desirable to expose kids in school to a variety of subjects. So Minecraft is just one of them. It doesn't mean it's being done in an unpleasant way. It's an interesting game that can be related to an amazing variety of more typical school subjects.

[mata]

Making something compulsory sort of goes against what is beneficial about Minecraft to begin with.

[Alenushka]

There many amazing thing my kids learned and now love only because like good Russian mother I forced them into it. My older son is a wonderful techno music DJ because I insisted on music lessons from age 7 on. I am an adult and I have experience and education my kids do not. Yes, until they are 13, many thing in my household are compulsory.

Sweden is amazing country with the well developed social safety net. I felt very warm and fuzzy when I was there.