Microsoft announced today that the Code Builder Update for Minecraft: Education Edition is now available, along with other updates to both in-game features and Classroom Mode.

“It’s been quite a month,” a new post to the Minecraft: Education Edition notes. “We announced Code Builder for Minecraft: Education Edition, a free one-year subscription to Minecraft: Education Edition with qualifying purchases of Windows 10 computers and tablets, and updates to both in-game features and Classroom Mode for Minecraft. In just two weeks, thousands of you downloaded the Code Builder Beta and are already creating with Tynker, ScratchX, and MakeCode.”

Announced three weeks ago, Code Builder allows students and teachers to explore, create, and play in virtual worlds by writing software code.

As Microsoft explains it, Code Builder is a new extension for Minecraft: Education Edition that allows educators and students to explore, create, and play in an immersive Minecraft world, all by writing code. “Connecting to learn-to-code packages like ScratchX, Tynker, and a new open source platform called Microsoft MakeCode, players start with familiar tools, templates, and tutorials,” the software giant writes. “And, Code.org will bring Code Studio to Code Builder later this year to support even more learning opportunities.”

Microsoft now provides a full set of training materials available on its Minecraft: Education Edition community site if you want to learn more.

In addition to Code Builder, Microsoft is also releasing the following updates for Minecraft: Education Edition:

Command Blocks. Command Blocks allow players to attach Minecraft commands to activated blocks within the game, providing the ability to create teleport stations, give items, change the weather, and more.

Worldbuilder. Worldbuilder comes to Education Edition with a shortened (/wb) command, new blocks like Terracotta, which allows for new designs, and villager trading, which enhances the economic possibilities of the game.

Classroom Mode improvements. Based on educator feedback, Classroom Mode has been updated to streamline the game experience with new controls for weather, destructive items like lava and TNT, mobs, muting chat, and immutable world.

Tagged with Minecraft Education Edition