Minecraft is arguably one of the best types of modern video games that not only brings a substantial level of attention for being a leisure to children, but also for its uses in terms of an educational tool. The game has allowed students to experience a range of meaningful skills such as, immense creativity, problem-solving, systems thinking and social-emotional skills. Students also are able to experience immersive citizenship as they handle real-world issues in a virtual setting. Minecraft also has an educational edition that can further extend the reaches and goals of the standard game.

Minecraft Education Edition

Little Big Planet is a side-style puzzle solving simulator in which the player controls a stitched doll-like character that must traverse through each level. The main aspect of student engagement and learning with this resource is that they are not only able to undertake the preset levels but also craft levels of their very own. This feature could provide students with heightened problem-solving skills since they have think of solving the puzzle in reverse fashion. Each installment of the series provides its own new features and benefits, although the 2nd and 3rd have been the better rated of the bunch.

Active Neurons focuses on a 2D maze in which your job is to take control of a white square and get that square to an exit point in the maze. The only problem is that you can only initially move that square horizontally and vertically in any direction, and once you hit the go button, the square won’t stop moving until it comes in to contact with something like a wall, or barrier, or something that might blow it up. The gameplay therefore revolves around carefully planning out the route needed in your head and then executing it. But even then it’s not simple and you might make a wrong turn and put your square into danger, hitting it against a red block in which case it is instantly killed. The game involves a high level of spatial thinking and brain-teasing as students attempt to solve each level.

Terraria is in part a building and engineering game with a fairly sparse and unique toolset compared to many electronics simulators. The tools available in Terraria allow you to build various electronic devices using traditional methods, and thus the game presents an opportunity to learn about real-life circuits and see them in action within the game. This type of hands-on learning enhances the educational experience.

However, terraria also challenges you to use outside-the-box thinking because of the unique ways in which electronics can be handled. This draws students to building and engineering in Terraria as opposed to using various dedicated electronics simulators - instead of relying on real life schematics or circuit diagrams to construct electronic devices, they need to figure out how to accomplish various goals essentially from scratch. This is a step up from mere emulation - there's a significant problem-solving element to Terraria engineering, and there's the opportunity for a lot of originality as well. It's also very satisfying to be able to construct something that at first might seem impossible with so few tools at their disposal.

The Just Dance series takes video gaming into a different approach through the use of physical exercise and engagement. Students will be able to not only utilize this resource for the purposes of physical endurance, but also for that of a stress management and release. The most optimal location I see this video game being accessed is during a gym class in which they can fully undertake the specific moves and dances within the game that require a safe amount of space. There are a plethora of Just Dance versions that have released over the years with a variety of different songs and titles to access.

Color Zen is a puzzle game that tasks students with solving puzzles in an abstract world of colors and shapes. With simple, intuitive controls, the game invites it's player base to relax and immerse themselves in a world of color at their own pace. I can see this game being utilized for students that may be undergoing stress at school and home or need some time to decompress in a behavior plan, especially since there is no points or penalties for failure. The game also engages students to think in an abstract fashion, and solve simple tasks and puzzles through methods that they may have not original thought of. Color Zen is a meditative puzzle solver that contains 460 levels for it's player base to immerse themselves in.