Minecraft games teach Wiltshire children about Stonehenge
It's a National Highways initiative as part of the A303 Stonehenge scheme
School children in Wiltshire will have the chance to explore the Stonehenge World Heritage Site through a set of Minecraft games.
The games have been developed in partnership with National Highways to "inspire the next generation of tech experts and engineers", as part of the A303 Stonehenge scheme.
Designed by game developers at Blockbuilders CIC, the games are aimed at 7 to 11 and 11 to 14 year old students, and were tested by pupils from St Michael's Primary School in Larkhill and the Avon Valley Academy in Durrington.
Through one of the games, students are made to complete tasks as they’re taken on a historical journey, with Stonehenge as the backdrop, from the Mesolithic era through to the present day and the future with potential improvements to the current road.
A second game uses a Minecraft model of a green bridge, where students can explore the biodiversity of the area by photographing the flora and fauna in the landscape.
The games have been presented to schools and some 1,200 pupils at Wiltshire Council’s Learning Resources Hub STEAM FAIR 2022, held at Trowbridge's County Hall, in November.
David Bullock, National Highways Project Manager for the A303 Stonehenge scheme, told Greatest Hits Radio the feedback from students was "very positive".
"We want to inspire the next generation of talented engineers and scientists, on whom the country’s infrastructure will one day depend, and it was really pleasing to see the learning tool so well received at the STEAM Fair.
“With the help of Minecraft and the in-game activities, students will get first-hand experience of what would go into building significant infrastructure such as bridges and tunnels.
“In real life these are multi-million pound structures that are carefully designed and built by experts. These skills and expertise help to create infrastructure that keeps us all moving, whether going to work, delivering goods or keeping families and friends connected.”
It's hoped that through the games, students will get a sense of the range of skills used to build road projects, including archaeology, biology, ecology, civil engineering, communications technology and coding.
The educational package, which also includes National Highways' proposed Lower Thames Crossing and A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvement schemes, is aligned to the national curriculum and is available to all teachers and schools, the only requirement is that they have access to Microsoft Education Centre.
Nicky Phillips, Headteacher at St Michael's Primary School, said:
“We used the game to explore archaeology, engineering, and sustainability.
“This has broadened the students’ understanding of what goes into building a road and they were all really engaged. I've seen a huge difference in their conversational skills and it was great to see how games they usually play can be used to teach.”
The learning tool also has a Creative Mode aimed for use by schools during lunchtime or after school clubs.
More information for parents and schools can be found on the National Highways' website.