Here are the battle scenes in "night-vision mode" (i.e.

Here are the battle scenes in "night-vision mode" (i.e. edited in Adobe Lightroom). As you can see in several of the screenshots, skeletons are killing other skeletons.

I think I'll try some baby-step exploratory things with MC and my 1st year English students when classes begin in...

I think I'll try some baby-step exploratory things with MC and my 1st year English students when classes begin in April. Initially, I'll just bring my laptop to class, login in single-player (survival) mode and have small groups of 2-3 try moving around and doing things, while the rest of the class works on some other project or worksheet.

If nothing else, it will be an opportunity for me to communicate with them in simple English. "Press W to move forward."

I won't expect anything more than that unless something develops out of it.

By the way, a couple of days ago when I was running around by myself in the desert, the stats from the potato...

By the way, a couple of days ago when I was running around by myself in the desert, the stats from the potato picking task were still being displayed on the screen. There was no one else online at the time.

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2019/02/13/alef-education-abu-dhabi-vision.cnn-business/video/playlists/busin...

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2019/02/13/alef-education-abu-dhabi-vision.cnn-business/video/playlists/business-innovative-cities/
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2019/02/13/alef-education-abu-dhabi-vision.cnn-business/video/playlists/business-innovative-cities/

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As a final adventure, does anyone want to visit a jungle temple with me? UTC 13 to 14 is always a good time for me.

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Title

I'm wondering what sort of ratio between language novices (L2 learners) and language "experts" (in a relativistic...

I'm wondering what sort of ratio between language novices (L2 learners) and language "experts" (in a relativistic sense including other L2 learners) would be needed to make in-game L2 learning viable. Does immersion work if you are only immersed with other novices?

Went for a run tonight and was feeling lost and alone until I came across evidence that Mattie had been here! : )

Went for a run tonight and was feeling lost and alone until I came across evidence that Mattie had been here! : )

Could someone explain how Dak did his "in flight" recording during my extreme survival adventure?

Could someone explain how Dak did his "in flight" recording during my extreme survival adventure? I'd like to capture some of this 3rd person observer perspective video for subsequent analysis.

I still have the three 1st person recordings made by Jane, Mattie, and Emanual (Rose) during last year's EVOMC session, but I've had a hard time getting them precisely sync'ed and the resulting combined file size has been huge. I still think there is something analytically important to be gleaned from 1st person video, but since conversation analysts usually work with 3rd person ("god perspective") video recordings, maybe I should start with that.

Dak's video was great, but because we were such an unruly mob running all over he had to move around a lot. Also there were too many voices and too many different conversations going on a one to be usable for my CA purposes.

Ideal would be to record (from a more or less fixed location slightly above the participants) interaction during a building activity with at most 3 participants.

April 2, 2019. The day G+ will die.

So far everything we have done has been in survival mode...or even extreme survival model.

So far everything we have done has been in survival mode...or even extreme survival model. But is survival mode really more conducive to L2 learning (or learning in general) than creative mode? It seems to me that certain activity types, for example, group builds, would actually be much more suited to and interesting in creative mode with "infinite" resources available.

What do others think?

Minecraft: The Movie

Minecraft: The Movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tWXYeTucO0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tWXYeTucO0

Pick a language!

Pick a language!

Japanese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1WI6G_y6Go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1WI6G_y6Go

As we move into the second week (or is it already the third?) I'd like to see more discussion of how specifically MC...

As we move into the second week (or is it already the third?) I'd like to see more discussion of how specifically MC can be a tool for L2 acquisition. So far EVOMC (both this year and last year) seems to be more about learning to play the game and less about how to apply it to language learning contexts.

We are lucky to have several participants who are themselves both teachers and on-going English language learners. That's great! Their voices, opinions, and experiences with MC as an instrument for language learning are especially valuable. I'd like to hear from Mirella, from Michiyo, and from our participants in Vietnam, as well as any other "silent participants" in the community.

In particular, I'd like to see discussion of use of MC for L2 learning in adult contexts.

There seem to be many new names this year...or at least I saw many requests to join.

There seem to be many new names this year...or at least I saw many requests to join. But I haven't yet met many of these new people.

Who have we seen in the game?

Wow!

Wow! That was something else. We managed to "survive" for 5 days. However, we took some casualties and we sure didn't have Seal Team coordination. : )

It was too hectic for me to take any photos and while we communicated a LOT we were also talking over each other and often engaged in overlapping conversations much of the time (which is a possible feature of group interaction anytime there are more than three participants).

One failing (if we can consider it a failing) is that we never had any clear objective other than just surviving. I suppose that's OK.

I asked about this last year.

I asked about this last year. Can someone direct me to non-English language Minecraft servers? I'd like to try playing in a language that I have only the most minimal competence in, for example, Dutch or Arabic.

As an English speaker (and English teacher) I'm at a huge disadvantage in understanding how learning and playing MC can develop language ability.

I'd be interested in joining an adventurous group willing to wander out with NO GEAR WHATSOEVER.

I'd be interested in joining an adventurous group willing to wander out with NO GEAR WHATSOEVER. This would be "Bear Grylls" style survival mode! No diamond tools. (No tools at all.) No armor. No potions. No "cheats." No inventory. No nothin. Sleeping in holes. Eatin' raw meat if we have to. Everyone starts out equal with nothing but bare hands.

I'll watch your back; you watch mine.