The free trial for Minecraft: Education Edition lasts one year from the date you redeem the offer. With this generous trial period, educators have ample time to explore the platform‘s capabilities and determine if it‘s a good fit for their learning objectives.
As your resident Minecraft expert, I‘m excited to provide you with a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know about the Minecraft: Education Edition free trial! Let‘s dig into the details.
A Full Year to Test Drive Minecraft: Education Edition
The most important thing to know upfront is that the free trial gives you full access to Minecraft: Education Edition for one year. That‘s right – 365 days to play around with its powerful creation tools, immersive worlds, and coding capabilities completely risk-free!
Most free trials for education software last around 30-60 days, so one year is an incredibly generous trial period. This gives you and your students time to fully experience everything Minecraft: Education Edition has to offer at your own pace.
Once you redeem the offer, the clock starts ticking. But with a full calendar year, you don‘t have to feel rushed to explore all the features or immediately integrate it into your curriculum. I think you‘ll be delighted at just how much you can accomplish with a 12 month trial!
Getting Access to the Free Trial
Now that you know the awesome 1 year timeline, let‘s talk about how to get access to the free trial.
The Minecraft: Education Edition free trial is only available for educators and students with Microsoft 365 accounts through eligible academic institutions, like K-12 schools and universities. Here are the steps to get started:
Confirm your school or district has Microsoft 365 for Education access
Faculty members request 25 free licenses and students request 10 free licenses
Microsoft will review and approve requests within 10 days
Redeem licenses and start the 1 year free trial!
If your learning community doesn‘t have Microsoft 365 access, don‘t worry! You can still purchase Minecraft: Education Edition licenses at $5 per user per year. But the free trial is a great opportunity if you are eligible.
Making the Most of Your Free Trial
Now for the fun part – how to make the most of your year-long Minecraft: Education Edition test drive! With so much flexibility, the possibilities are truly endless. Here are some tips to maximize your free trial:
Explore Minecraft worlds together – Gather a group of students and lead them through pre-made worlds full of learning activities and challenges. See their creativity and problem-solving skills in action!
Let students loose to create – Give them tools, set boundaries, then step back and watch them build. You‘ll gain insight into their interests and how they collaborate.
Try pre-designed curriculum maps – Follow ready-made lesson plans aligned to academic standards in math, science, history, and coding. Evaluate their effectiveness.
Make your own curriculum – Use the Creator Tools to design targeted learning activities tailored to your class‘s needs and interests. Test and refine lessons.
Use it as a reward – When lessons are finished early or a job well done, give time to explore Minecraft: Education Edition as a motivational reward. Observe engagement.
Host a Minecraft Family Night – Invite parents and caretakers to join their children in the Minecraft: Education Edition world to better understand the tool. Build community while introducing the platform.
The more you experiment with integrating Minecraft into learning during the trial, the better sense you‘ll have if it‘s something you want to invest in long-term.
Key Stats and Facts
Now that you understand the basics, let‘s dig into some key statistics and facts about Minecraft: Education Edition:
Over 35 million teachers and students in 115 countries use Minecraft: Education Edition.
The platform has been used in over 2,500 schools worldwide.
Students spend an average of 5 hours per week playing Minecraft: Education Edition.
90% of educators say Minecraft increases motivation and engagement.
75% of teachers using Minecraft: Education Edition say it helps teach collaboration.
| Subject | % of Teachers Using Minecraft |
|---|---|
| Math | 61% |
| Science | 58% |
| Computer Science | 54% |
| History | 42% |
With data showing increased motivation, collaboration, and learning gains across subjects, it‘s clear why Minecraft: Education Edition is used in thousands of classrooms worldwide. The free trial allows you to directly experience the benefits!
What‘s Included in the Free Version?
Now you may be wondering – what exactly do I get access to with the free trial? The answer is everything!
The Minecraft: Education Edition free trial provides full access to all the platform‘s standard features and content, including:
100+ hours of gameplay across diverse, immersive Minecraft worlds
Multiplayer mode for up to 30 students across devices
Code Builder with MakeCode, Tynker, and Python coding options
Classroom collaboration tools like Classroom Mode and Student Portfolios
Endless creation tools, from crafting materials to host options
Ready-made STEM lesson plans and activities
Easy classroom management and security controls
With the robust capabilities included free of charge, you can truly explore the full potential of Minecraft: Education Edition before committing any dollars.
What Happens When the Free Trial Ends?
Twelve months goes by faster than you think! Here is what happens when your free trial period eventually ends:
Access to Minecraft: Education Edition will be disabled until you purchase licenses.
Any worlds or content you created during the trial will be available if you do purchase.
Paid licenses can be purchased through the Microsoft Store for Education or Microsoft Admin Center.
Licenses cost just $5 per user per year when bought annually.
You can purchase licenses for all or a portion of your users based on trial experience.
While of course I hope you find Minecraft: Education Edition as amazing as I do, there‘s no obligation to purchase at the end of the trial. You can easily walk away if it‘s not the right learning tool for your needs.
But with an entire year to experience everything Minecraft: Education Edition can do for student engagement and achievement, I‘m betting you‘ll be hooked! The unlimited trial timeframe removes all pressure as you explore, test, and evaluate at your own pace.
One Final Tip
If you want to get the most out of the next 365 days, I recommend one final tip – start a Minecraft: Education Edition exploration journal.
Documenting your experiences throughout the trial can provide valuable insights when it comes time to make a purchase decision. Track key learnings, student reactions, integration challenges, and ideas for future implementation.
By keeping detailed notes, you‘ll have a comprehensive record of your Minecraft: Education Edition journey to look back on. You‘ll gain clarity on which activities were most successful, where to improve, and how to make the most of the platform should you choose to buy licenses.
Ok, my friend – hopefully I‘ve provided you with everything you need to take full advantage of Minecraft: Education Edition‘s generous year-long free trial! I‘m excited for you to see first-hand how this immersive world can engage students and support learning. Happy Minecrafting!
