Fedsie's Teaching Blog

Sharing teaching ideas, experiences and resources.

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3D programming with Alice

I’ve been dabbling recently with Alice (Alice.org) which is free computer programming software in a 3D environment. It took me about a day to make these two animations.

 

 

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Kodu in Science

I’ve recently introduced my stage 4 science class to Kodu Game Lab. My intention is to integrate the gaming technology into a science program on ecosystems. Students will create a 3D ecosystem world and create game elements based on concepts related to the topics of ecosystems and ecology. I have developed a simple game in Kodu as a demo to show the students how it could be implemented.

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Friday night virtual world tour

Kate Booth @scu006 took me on a tour of some virtual world locations for gathering ideas and inspiration. Here are some of the landmarks visited:

  • International Spaceflight Museum – Spaceport Alpha
  • Exploratorium
  • Texas A&M University Dr K’s Chemistry Place
  • Builders Brewery – Sandbox and Creators Village
  • Dogland Park
Kate and Fedsie at UWA

Kate and Fedsie at UWA

International Spaceflight Museum

Dogland Park

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First building goes up!

I worked out how to relocate my original building (C-block) that I constructed in regular Minecraft into the world I created in MinecraftEdu.

The full details of how I got to this stage in the project are outlined on the blog page, Model high school in Minecraft.

Here are some snapshots.

C-block pasted

C-block

C-block pasted 2

C-block

 

 

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Minecraft project at School

I’ve been developing a project where I’d like students to do a group build and construct a scaled model of our high school in MinecraftEdu. Here are a few snapshots. More details on on this page, Model high school in Minecraft.

MC Structure Planner

MC Structure Planner

C-block

First building constructed was C-block

Ground plans in Minecraft

Overview of ground plans in Minecraft

 

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VW and MC weekend

FRIDAY NIGHT – MINECRAFT

I spent 4.5 hours on Friday night in Minecraft with some crazy avatars and animals – MasterNomNom (Nick – our host and chief MC coach), SarumanTheWise (Nathan – 2IC), captainflint006 (Kate), Viviene5 (Viviene), mw3crazyblops3 (Cvon), Fedsie (me) and Wildfire & Bellamie (Horses). I learned how to spawn and tame wild horses and became known as the MC horse whisperer. Nathan set us to survival mode and taught us how to fight the mob. We learned how to attack using different weapons (swords, bows and arrows) and how to survive by keeping up our energy.

Here’s a beautiful video by Kate of some of the pics taken.

And here are some shots that I took.

TamedDog VivNme Bellamie_MChorse Horsewhisperer2 MeAndTaffy

FRIDAY NIGHT – DANCING AT THE VWBPE Conference

After finishing up in Minecraft (at about 11.00 pm) I went to check out the the Virtual Worlds Best Practice in Education conference…

VWBPE_Arrival

and had a bit of a dance.

SATURDAY MORNING – VWBPE Conference

Joined Kate at the Virtual Worlds Best Practice in Education conference. Attended the “Kids Learning Science and More in Virtual World” presented by Carolyn Lowe (avatar Clowey Greenwood) and Amy Pihlainen (avatar Elsie Ocello) from Northern Michigan University.

MeNKate SelfieWithKate SelfieWithKate2

Met up with Kate again before the next seminar.

Followed this up with the seminar “Massively @ Jokaydia and Project Mist” presented by Jo Kay, Nathaniel, Harry and Donelle Batty.

See their blog here: http://tased-news.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/riverside-high-presents-world-class.html

MMC_MassivelyMC4_001_001

 

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Minecraft Mondays

This week we learned how to make circuits with pistons using redstone. I took a photo; a ‘selfie with friends’ as it has been described by Nick (year 10 student) who facilitates the jam.
MCJam

I also recorded part of the session when Nathan (son of one of the teachers, Kate) was demonstrating his canon.

Here is a video recorded by Vivienne (a teacher) showing us building the redstone circuits under the instruction of Nathan.

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Integrating gaming and game design

I’m currently looking into gaming and game design and how these could be integrated into teaching and learning in Science. My focus at the moment has been in the use of Kodu Game Lab and Minecraft. Early days as I’m just trying to develop some basic skills in how they work. Over time I’ll also been experimenting with quests.

My new MC skin

My new MC skin

Minecraft jam

Minecraft jam

Here’s some land that I’ve started to settle in Minecraft and am putting to practice some of the skills that I have been learning.

Kodu Game Lab

Kodu Game Lab

Here’s a eco-game that I created using Kodu.

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