Connecting Engineering, Design and Play Through the Lens of Minecraft
0NASEF (Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations) is using esports as a platform for students to explore their passion for gaming while also acquiring valuable STEAM skills. Learn about the different career pathways that esports can provide for students’ from content creators to software engineers. Learn how NASEF is using video games and beyond to teach students STEAM-based skills and social emotional attributes.
Minecraft is a versatile platform that builds technology and creative skills. Learn how NASEF Minecraft competitions encourage teamwork and out-of-the-box problem solving, in a fresh learning environment and level playing field. This interest-based learning connects kids' love of Minecraft with lessons in physics through Rube Goldberg challenges, and agriculture and biotechnology through Farmcraft events.
NASEF, the founding organization of scholastic esports, is a non-profit organization. NASEF is on a mission to provide opportunities for all students to use esports as a platform to develop STEAM-based skills and social emotional attributes such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities needed to thrive in work and in life.
NASEF has partnered with organizations like the U.S. Department of State, Rube Goldberg Center for Design and Innovation, and the US Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) to bring students & educators Minecraft events to build STEM and SEL skills.
One of the Minecraft events NASEF will discuss is Farmcraft. Farmcraft is an educational program that uses Minecraft to enhance the understanding of the challenges faced by agricultural producers and distributors around the world. Every year Farmcraft discusses different topics on farming. Farmcraft has focused on climate change, food transportation and distribution, food availability, and much more.
Along with Minecraft events, NASEF holds Beyond the Game Challenges. Beyond the Game challenges are challenges that go beyond the player. Students in esports often find that they are drawn to the other elements of esports industries, and use these interests to drive career and college decisions. In esports students can do web development, graphic design, event organization and so much more.
An important Beyond the Game challenge was called Why We Play. In this challenge, students were asked to make a video to share their story and tell the world “why we play.” Students shared stories of playing competitively, creating friends and so much more.