Nov 07, 2016 08:20 AM EST By Jane Reed, UniversityHerald Reporter

Education in classrooms are getting a different twist these days. In order to get kids more engaged at learning, teachers are trying to figure out ways to get then interested. With a handful of technology available that can distract kids from learning, teachers are using that same technology as a tool for learning.

Which is why Microsoft wants kids to play Minecraft in class. But not just for sport and online engagement. Microsoft hopes that schools will support this initiative. The company hopes to keep kids engaged while their teachers use it as a tool for exploring subjects.

Microsoft successfully launched Minecraft: Education Edition. This Minecraft version, according to The Verge, includes tools for classroom use. And Microsoft hopes it will roll out to every class, students and districts everywhere. Since the start of the year (2016), Microsoft has initiated a mod that is en route to the goal of education. The app has been in development since the start of 2016 and went to beta period just this summer. Microsoft hoped to have a full and ready release of Minecraft: Education Edition before school started but it missed their target date by a few months.

Now, the company is happy to release the ready version, cites Slash Gear. It has fully landed in classrooms for Windows 10 and Mac OS platforms. Teachers can build worlds that can be related to whatever they are teaching in class. But the teachers have to create these worlds on their own.

This version of Minecraft is not any different from the regular version. Microsoft describes it as having the same features as the game but with additional tools that will make things easier for teachers to use. For example teachers can see their students on the map and provide references, resources and tutorials. Teachers can also plot students to a different location on the map.

And since teachers can't do without a chalkboard, Minecraft: Education Edition also provides a similar board with a camera. Minecraft: Education Edition is already available for $5.00 per student for a year's subscription.

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