A First Nations community in Manitoba is turning to Minecraft, a popular sandbox game, to connect kids with ancestral traditions.
Manitoba鈥檚 Bloodvein River First Nation is using tools to teach students a new map in the game that includes interaction with elders, ice fishing, and dog sledding.
鈥淚 was blown away by just how beautiful it was and how much it incorporated traditional knowledge and culture,鈥 said Karl Hildebrandt, the education technology facilitator for the Manitoba First Nations School System. 鈥淚 thought this had Minecraft written all over it.鈥
The map features the indigenous cultures and perspectives of the Pimachiowin Aki, which is Canada鈥檚 first mixed UNESCO World Heritage site.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important for a community like Bloodvein to incorporate and integrate technology and education,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so impactful and meaningful. It leads to different career pathways.
Hildebrandt highlighted the importance of 鈥渁ttendance and getting kids motivated to step through the door鈥 and getting them invested in school and education.鈥
He says the map is available in Minecraft Education.
Elder William Young, who runs land-based programs in the community, is featured in the game.
鈥淲hat I initially thought was it would be just for our school, but to go beyond that, it鈥檚 just amazing,鈥 he says.
Young says it鈥檚 not only important to teach the youth in the community about their land and teachings but is also an opportunity for the public to learn more about the Anishinaabe way of life.
鈥淚t鈥檚 to the best interest of our students and to our communities as well,鈥 he says. 鈥淐ollaboration is important and so is utilizing the community Elders, and that is what we did here.鈥
This isn't the first integration with First Nations for the game. There are maps for the Coast Salish communities in B.C., and one in Alberta that teaches students the Metis language, Michif., that is in development.
Minecraft educationMike Washburn, the director of learning experiences with Logics Academy, the company that co-created the map with the community, hopes this is just the beginning of content creation.
鈥淚n the future, hopefully this community is full of stories about the place names and how it got founded and who has been living here for generations,鈥 he says.
Clinical psychologist Todd Cunningham says games in education isn't new, but it's dangerous if there isn't a focus.
鈥淭here is actually a purpose of what is going on,鈥 he says. 鈥淎n educational theme that is being driven through the simulation that is happening in Minecraft.鈥
Teachers in Bloodvein have been trained on the software and plans are being made to have the students begin workshops using the map starting in late November.
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