It’s time to take science fairs to the next level, and the Immersive Education Initiative (I-ED) is going to use Minecraft to make that happen.
I-ED is announcing the first ever Minecraft Builder Bowl as part of its efforts to harness the growing maker movement, which comprises people who spend their free time trying to figure out how to create things. This is a competitive event for people around the world to come together to make the most interesting “immersive experiences, content, and applications” using and inspired by the block-building phenomenon Minecraft. The tournament will start in June at satellite events around the world, and the finals will take place at the Immersion 2015 conference in Paris this September.
The Minecraft Builder Bowl is just one of a number of tournaments that I-ED holds. It also brings together makers in spaces like virtual reality, augmented reality, simulations, video games, cave projections, 3D printing, and robotics. The idea is to explore the potential for immersive mediums to entertain and educate people.
The Immersive Education Initiative is a nonprofit that works with educational institutes, museum, and other organizations around the world on VR, AR, and more. I-ED works with MIT, NASA, and more on defining best practices, open platforms, and standards for things like virtual reality. At its Immersion events, the I-ED brings together top makers from around the world to speak on subjects or to exhibit their technologies.
The group is starting a Minecraft Builder Bowl as a way of recognizing the game’s importance and immersive qualities for a generation of people who are growing up with it.
If you’ve built something mesmerizing or awe-inspiring in Minecraft, like so many people have, and you want to participate in I-ED’s competition, you’ll need to contact the organization through its website.