What better way to mine curiosity and build fascination in something old than to stitch it together with something new?
That’s exactly what Cadw has done with the support of Microsoft’s Minecraft Education.
The Cadw Minecraft World will be the first ever Welsh-language version of Minecraft Education, launched at Castell Conwy / Conwy Castle yesterday [Thursday 5 December].
Wales is one of the highest users of Minecraft Education in the world and this will be the first time children will be able to access this fun learning resource in their own language, which aims to encourage the use of Welsh by learners and fluent speakers alike.
The bilingual Minecraft version of Castell Conwy will be the first to feature, but a new location will be added every month until a total of 20 other sites Cadw is responsible for are included in this first stage. Each new site will be supported by a virtual launch and training sessions for teachers and all resources will be hosted on the education resource website Hwb with a link from the Cadw website.
Yesterday’s launch event saw children who had previously helped to test the world, from Ysgol Pennant, and the local ‘Young Custodian’ school, Ysgol Minafon, have a real-life tour of the site as well as the opportunity to experience this via Minecraft, so they could compare and experience both.
Minister for Culture and Skills, Jack Sargeant, said:
“This is a huge and innovative programme, and I am delighted to help launch this fantastic new Welsh language version of Minecraft.
“Not only does it celebrate the heritage of Wales, but through accompanying resources and activities, it will inspire children to explore their own history and culture, hopefully to research and build their own versions of these historical sites.”
Justin Edwards, Director Learning Experience Minecraft said:
“Minecraft Education is delighted by the continued innovative use of Minecraft within the classrooms of Wales. This project, which is particularly important to the topic of cultural heritage and science, shows that game-based learning can provide immersive and engaging curriculum experiences that are relevant to the National Curriculum of Wales.”
Manon Jones, a teacher Ysgol Pennant, said:
“This is an incredible resource for both Welsh-speaking learners and those learning the language. Minecraft is a fantastic tool for engaging learners. Now, with the Welsh Language Resource Pack, it’s an even more powerful way to connect young people with their heritage and language. It’s an exciting and fun way to learn!”
