Irish-headquartered education technology company Prodigy Learning is teaming up with Microsoft’s Minecraft Education to develop computer science curriculum and assessments using the game-based learning platform.
The material, which combines the game-based world with Prodigy’s educational solutions, is designed to be engaging and easy to teach, accessible to educators with little or no computer science experience while also delivering recognised credentials
The official partnership with Minecraft Education will see Prodigy’s products available through Microsoft’s licensed channels, including the Microsoft Store on Windows devices.
The first two credentialing products, Coding in Minecraft and a new Cyber product, will be available for licensing through Microsoft and channel resellers worldwide.
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“The partnership between Minecraft Education and Prodigy Learning marks a significant milestone in educational technology. By combining the strengths of both organisations, we are setting a new standard for game-based learning and assessment, opening doors to endless possibilities for student achievement and growth,” said Andrew Flood, chief executive Prodigy Learning.
“In the age of AI, our partnership will help build the workforce of tomorrow and create economic opportunity.”
Prodigy Learning develops and sells education technology products, and provides the online assessment platform for standardised testing in Irish schools.
The company has been steadily making progress in the US with its Coding in Minecraft product, with customers in Alaska, Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington State, and now has about 500,000 licensed users globally.
The move is a potentially lucrative one for Prodigy Learning, expanding its market reach significantly. Aside from the US, Prodigy Learning has developed a market in Ireland, the UK and Australia.
“At the heart of this partnership is a shared commitment to empowering educators and engaging students,” said Allison Matthews, head of Minecraft Education at Microsoft.
“We are bringing together Minecraft Education’s game-based learning platform and Prodigy Learning’s expertise in credentialing to create a comprehensive educational experience. This will enable students to gain critical skills such as computational thinking, reasoning and problem-solving for in-demand job roles.”
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