Code to Confidence: unleashing creativity and problem-solving through Minecraft Education and playful learning
Last updated:2024/10/03 15:38

This session throws out the textbook and replaces it with blocks and pixels! Explore the pedagogical potential of Minecraft Education’s immersive and engaging environment, how this can develop computational thinking, and how students can creatively apply programming concepts to solve real-world challenges, demonstrating that Minecraft Education is not just a theoretical concept, but a practical and effective learning tool.
Participants will discover how Minecraft Education can serve as a catalyst for developing problem-solving abilities, logical reasoning, and a growth mindset.

Kate Whyles is a driving force in exploring innovative educational learning technologies. Her creative approach as a digital innovation and development coach at Nottingham College, UK, has successfully integrated Minecraft Education and “The Hour of Code” into further education, underscoring the transformative power of game-based learning and the imperative of digital literacy. Her recent publication in the English Association Newsletter further highlights her expertise in the field. Driven by her passion for promoting inclusivity, Kate is a STEM Ambassador. She actively mentors young women in tech through the Technovation and TechUp programs and advocates for accessible computer science education.
Date: 30 April 2025, 12:00
Venue: 7-19 Banbury Road, 13 Banbury Road OX2 6NN
Venue Details: IT Services, 13 Banbury Road
Speaker: Kate Whyles (Nottingham College)
Organising department: IT Services
Organiser: Digital Capabilities Team (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: skills@it.ox.ac.uk
Booking required?: Required
Booking url: https://skills.it.ox.ac.uk/resource-finder#/course/OXFORDXU4U/ST037
Cost: Free
Audience: Members of the University only
Editors: Gabriele Pani, Zac Latter