Kids love Minecraft, and it's also a big hit with parents as well due to it's emphasis on problem solving and creativity skills. In a bold move Microsoft and the Government of Northern Ireland have teamed up to put Minecraft into every secondary school in the country.
This doesn't mean kids will spend all day fighting off giant spiders, creepers, and (my favourites) Zombie Pig Men. This is a special edition of the game, MinecraftEdu, which is designed specifically for schools with additions that are more appropriate for classroom use.
This version of Minecraft is already in use by thousands of teachers who use it to teach aspects of core subjects like art, history and physics. With the current emphasis on learning coding skills from primary school, and equipping children for the rapidly developing job market this could engage children who struggle with traditional teaching methods.
So what do you think of this initiative? Innovative or waste of money?