Crafting skills that matter
Today’s students don’t just need to access the digital world—they need to understand, question, and engage with it in a responsible manner. As AI shapes more and more of our experiences, educators and parents need to prepare young people with the skills to stay safe online and the curiosity and resilience to help them thrive. While many tools and platforms provide safety measures for children, one game studio decided to take it a step further and develop an entire learning environment for the new era.
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Digging deeper
Already one of the most familiar spaces in millions of students’ lives, Minecraft encourages players to dive headfirst into immersive gameplay with curiosity and creativity. With Minecraft Education now part of classrooms in more than 180 countries, the leap from gameplay to learning doesn’t feel like a leap at all.
This isn’t textbook learning. It’s hands-on, peer-to-peer, ‘what-happens-if-I-do-this’ learning. In Minecraft Education, students learn through simulations that reflect real-world scenarios. Rather than fighting Piglin brutes in the Nether, they face quandaries like whether or not to use AI for homework or share their password with a friend. Instead of wielding diamond swords, they hone their judgment and critical thinking. The sandbox environment is ideal for inquiry-based learning, allowing students to design and conduct their own experiments that spark creative solutions. Lessons in game worlds like “Privacy Prodigy” allow students to veer away from their fictional home and encounter people (and creatures) that help them understand which information is safe to share online.
Learning with Minecraft is definitely more visual, and it helps picture things, I feel like. The lessons and stuff on Minecraft help relate more to the real world.
“Dig Deeper” encourages experimentation with AI outputs and why it’s important to check AI results against other trusted sources of information.
“Privacy Prodigy” teaches students about personal data and privacy using “data byte” creatures to help them learn to manage and protect their information.
A common quest to understand AI
With AI increasingly embedded in everyday tools and content, students need help understanding how AI tools work and how to engage with AI critically. It’s connected to a growing idea in education called digital citizenship. While digital safety focuses on personal online protection, digital citizenship is about active participation. It’s about taking positive actions online, which in turn help boost the AI literacy skills taught in the lessons.
Minecraft Education demystifies AI by making the invisible visible. As students explore virtual settings like schools, animal parks, and even E-sports championship arenas, they begin to understand how AI makes decisions—and how those decisions reflect human choices. “At first, I thought the AI just knew everything on its own,” said Rylan, a Chandler Unified School District student. “But then I realized it was just doing what someone told it to do. That kind of blew my mind.” With 72% of students seeking help from adults to understand and use AI correctly, Minecraft Education’s immersive experience captures the excitement of the beloved game, making it easy for students to get excited about the lessons. 1
Think before you click
Cybersecurity is a real and immediate part of students’ everyday lives, from phishing scams to hacked accounts. Minecraft Education addresses these issues through immersive lessons that mirror real-world risks and responses. Rather than abstract warnings, students engage with scenarios they might actually face—and some already have. Rylan shared his experience: “I went on this website, and it asked to allow a notification. I just clicked yes. Moments later, I got a message that said, ‘Your computer has been hacked.’ It was very scary.”
“CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper,” a Minecraft Education world designed to introduce students to AI, starts like any other in-game quest—you follow rules, complete tasks, and unlock the next challenge. But then the questions start stacking up: Why did the AI make that call? What info was it using? Students have to pause. Rethink. Ask better questions or, rather, dig deeper.
I learned you have to be very specific with AI. You can’t just let it do things on its own—you have to tell it exactly what you want.
There are 5 breakable blocks hidden in this scene.
There are 4 breakable blocks hidden in this scene.
Behind the blocks
Minecraft Education is the result of expert partnerships—working with industry leaders in cybersecurity and AI and top educators to ensure the lessons are relevant and aligned to national classroom standards. Their pilot programs are built off evidence-based research to ensure they work. According to Sara Cornish, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Minecraft Education, their mission is to “prepare the next generation of young people for a changing world. And we really want to empower students with the skills they need to thrive in this AI era.”
In addition to the immersive Minecraft worlds, educators are equipped with professional development and easy-to-use curriculums that they can plug and play into their classrooms, seamlessly integrating Minecraft Education into their teaching. They’re also given tools to assess the learning outcomes and family toolkits to help parents and children learn about AI and cyber safety together at home. Students are learning to think for themselves, ask questions, and connect thoughtfully with others, so they’re not just prepared for the age of AI; they’re ready for anything.
We’re empowering every learner to develop future ready skills through immersive, engaging experiences that ignite creativity.
Download the CyberSafe series for free in Minecraft: Bedrock Education or download a free demo of Minecraft Education to get started.
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