To mark Safer Internet Day, Minecraft Education has released a new title to the CyberSafe collection of Minecraft adventures.
CyberSafe: Good Game is an inclusive challenge for young people, designed to help them feel safe, happy and content online. The story-based game assists players in adapting to the virtual world, teaching children about the responsibilities and responses required for appropriate interactions online.
Safer Internet Day is an initiative from the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) to promote the importance of online safety for children and young people, held on 6 February with this year’s event carrying the theme: ‘Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online’.
Learning through play
As detailed by Xbox Wire, Minecraft Education has cleverly weaved together an online safety narrative in CyberSafe: Good Game as part of the challenge.
The setting is just before summer break, as a group of friends discuss how to level up in their favorite game but one of their friends is excluded, they cannot play because their controller was broken after experiencing difficulties with online bullies.
From here the challenge is set with players required to create a Good Game Guide. This resource will enable learning as well as developing strategies in young people to deal with problem situations online whilst promoting a positive gaming experience.
Game scenarios include unwanted actions from bullies, inappropriate screen names and repeated distractions from the in-game chat. For every task, users will be presented with tools to take the right course of action with the ability to ignore, correct, mute, or report certain behaviors they experience.
CyberSafe: Good Game then allows a period of reflection after every challenge faced, to add a new entry to the Good Game Guide, with the guidebook acting as a reference point for online gaming in the future.
Carlos Figueiredo, Director of Player Safety on Minecraft, commented on the value of encouraging responsibility and respect at all times online:
“Good Game is the latest learning adventure in the CyberSafe series where players are given the tools to be agents on their safety journey. In a world that deeply needs more collaboration and dialogue, what could be more important than sparking a cultural shift to foster healthy and respectful communities.”
Image: Minecraft Education
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