This is part of a series of three articles covering key principles to consider when developing computer science programs in your academic environment. Read the other articles here and here.
In it Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)As one of the largest and most diverse school districts in the United States, we continually plan new educational programs, prioritizing equitable access and ensuring students graduate prepared for success in college, career, and life. Innovative STEM programming requires a willingness to embrace emerging tools and technologies, as well as methodologies such as project-based learning.
This year, our Educational technology Initiative (ITI) The team looked for new ways to engage our students in STEM and digital literacy, specifically to help achieve the district's goals in computer science and digital citizenship. Over the past four years, applied learning pedagogies, including digital tools such as game-based platforms, have been explored within LAUSD to develop math, literacy, and social-emotional learning competencies using applied learning pedagogies. We saw an opportunity to use Minecraft Education as a project-based learning tool in computing, which is like Level up Los Angeles born.
Level Up Los Angeles represents an inclusive, district-wide initiative aimed at integrating esports into educational contexts, using platforms that support collaborative and creative learning. Esports offer incredible benefits for student engagement, skill and community development, and pathways to higher education and career opportunities. In the United States, there are more than 15,000 esports teams in K-12 schools, and many esports teams and programs emphasize access to students with disabilities. When you bring esports into the classroom, there are evidence of better STEM learning outcomes and even attendance. Selecting a collaborative, non-violent platform to introduce esports into the curriculum can stimulate creativity and teamwork among students, as demonstrated by our choice to employ game-based learning tools for creative competitions.
Building a new STEM esports program
We begin by creating a shared vision for this program that is aligned with the district's strategic plan, instructional priorities, and commitment to computer science education for all students. We knew Minecraft Education already supported our educational priorities, including SEL, literacy, and numeracy, but we wanted to create a program that engaged all students in solving real-world problems with computing. So, we incorporate principles like Universal Design for Learning (UDL) To ensure cultural relevance and inclusion, I created project prompts on climate change and mental well-being and designed curricular and professional learning supports to emphasize our district priorities. This principled approach allowed us to develop an innovative and inclusive esports program that has led not only to student outcomes but also to national recognition for LAUSD.
To help educators integrate digital learning tools, like Minecraft Education, into their instruction, LAUSD created a Skill Builder series that trained teachers on integrating Minecraft esports into SEL, literacy, and numeracy. The series concluded with an “Introduction” session, where teachers learned about the mechanics of the game and guidelines for educator and student participation.
Applied learning across the curriculum
Level Up Los Angeles incorporates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the curriculum, offering students a meaningful experience related to the problems they personally experience. Students addressed their own climate anxiety by applying their research skills to designing climate solutions and writing advocacy arguments to local politicians.
To meet our literacy requirements, we ensured that elements of storytelling, writing activities, and reading comprehension tasks were integrated into student projects. This required students to not only read instructions but also analyze information and synthesize research to communicate their ideas effectively. In numeracy, students apply measurement and geometry to measure distances, and write code in Minecraft Education to connect mathematical concepts like area, perimeter, and volume that would otherwise be very difficult to express in a traditional format.
We found that grouping students into small groups for instruction, discussion, task collaboration, problem solving, and structure building brought our LAUSD Student Code of Conduct to life. Students who have difficulties or challenges in core instruction often thrive when they are able to learn with Minecraft, and we saw several teams of students thrive despite facing challenges in other parts of the school day.
Reflecting on the basic principles for program success
As we built the Level Up program, we kept these core concepts in mind, which proved effective in keeping our team aligned with our purpose and vision:
- Have a clear vision for curricular integration: We began with a clear purpose to integrate esports and STEM into the curriculum and aligned this vision with LAUSD goals and standards. This included how we saw Minecraft Education being used as a learning platform.
- Prioritize professional learning for teachers: Provide multiple and varied opportunities for teachers to develop their skills and confidence in using Minecraft Education and esports as instructional tools. Create a collaborative and supportive community of practice among teachers, students, and district stakeholders, and leverage their feedback and input.
- Design for diverse learners: We designed Level Up Los Angeles, focusing on the principles of UDL. By providing multiple ways to represent content, engaging students in design challenges that suit their different interests, motivations, and learning styles, and allowing them to express themselves creatively, Minecraft Education can be a powerful tool for reaching all students.
- Emphasize real-world application: Make connections to real-world issues and events related to students to create cultural relevance and empower students with agency and voice. Celebrate and showcase student achievements and learning outcomes.
There were over 16,000 hours of play in the world of Minecraft Level Up Los Angeles and we received 287 submissions from over 1,100 students. Minecraft and esports continue to serve as a vehicle for designing standards-based projects, tasks, and activities that promote exploration, inquiry, and active learning. Encouraging students to apply research skills, analyze information, and communicate their ideas helps them develop the skills they need to succeed in college, career, and life.
By aligning Minecraft Education with our instructional priorities, providing opportunities for both professional learning and differentiated instruction, and emphasizing real-world problem solving through a district-wide esports competition, we were able to “level up” student outcomes for a truly impactful program. We encourage other school districts to take the leap and explore ways to bring innovative programs like Level Up to their communities to build skills and prepare students to be the agents of change our world needs.
