Minecraft Code Builder tool now available in ‘Education Edition’

By Jon Martindale May 23, 2017

minecraft code builder launch minecraftedu — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft’s previously announced Code Builder tool for Minecraft: Education Edition has now left beta and is widely available. Offered alongside other tools for teachers to help engage students in various lesson plans built around Minecraft, the Code Builder will let students craft amazing creations within the world by using external coding software.

Although made available earlier this month as an open beta, the Code Builder tool is now widely available for the Education Edition, which hit version 1.0 earlier this year. Connected to learn-to-code packages like ScratchX, Tynker, and Microsoft MakeCode, the Minecraft Code Builder system will give educators the ability to build lesson plans around coding for Minecraft in an intuitive and structured manner.

Along with the wider release of Code Builder, Microsoft has made some other updates to Education Edition. New Command Blocks let players give activated blocks within the game new commands. That makes it easier than ever to craft teleporters, weather changers, give out items, and more from within the game itself. The catch is, of course, that the students have to code it first.

Educators wanting to use Worldbuilder abilities can now do so far more quickly, thanks to Microsoft’s decision to shorten that command to “/wb”. It also added new commands that help users quickly clear their inventory, or find out where they are based on grid coordinates.

Educators will also gain new abilities in Classroom Mode for Minecraft, making it possible to alter weather, and spawn mobs, TNT, and lava. They also now have the power to mute chat if required or make it so that no one can mute anyone within the world.

As part of this release, Microsoft has also showcased a number of lesson plans and ideas which are available for teachers on its dedicated site. Such plans include forcing students to converse only in a second language, creating visual poems using structures and signs, or building buildings to a specific budget with certain blocks and materials having designated costs to factor in.

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