The first ever Esports Teacher Academy, is an opportunity for educators to learn how scholastic esports can make an impact in the classroom by strengthening student bonds to their learning community and expanding equity to all learners.
Created by Microsoft and focused upon Minecraft: Education Edition, participants will learn how to build an esports program, level up their coaching skills and grow an esports community.
The programme is open for applications, with the academy taking place from August 16th to 19th, 2021.
Scholastic Esports
Scholastic esports has grown exponentially in the last few years with programs and teams competing across both primary and secondary schools. As university scholarships for players and esports-related roles expand, the demand from students and parents for scholastic esports programs continues to grow.
Additionally the changing dynamics of learning options for all circumstances – whether face-to-face, hybrid or remote – empower opportunities for teachers to create a truly inclusive scholastic esports culture that serves all students and help them grow and thrive with future-ready skills.
Microsoft and Minecraft: Education Edition have a strong track record in helping educators develop and support game-based learning programs at all levels of learning. Esports advances the opportunities for STEAM and Social-Emotional learning by building experiences for organized, team-based, competitive play, where students and educators strengthen skills in collaboration, communication and creative problem-solving.
Course Content
The Esports Teacher Academy will provide a series of live and asynchronous sessions designed to build coaching skills, spark innovative thinking around scholastic esports and support initiatives to build a stellar esports program at schools. The Esports Teacher Academy will run for one hour daily from August 16th to August 19th and will include both live and web-based modalities.
The sessions will cover the following range of topics, including:
- Creating an Esports Curriculum
- Developing Esports Club Culture and Community
- Leveling Up Your Play – Mastering SEL in Esports
- Coaching K12 Esports – Best Practices
Microsoft Esports Leader
Educators who complete the Esports Teacher Academy will earn the designation of Microsoft Esports Leader and feel confident to launch & build secondary (middle & high school) esports programs in the classroom and after school. Additionally, educators in the program will be part of a global network of K-12 esports leaders, connected and collaborating together.
To accommodate different time zones, Microsoft is running the Teacher Academy each day in three cohorts:
- 8am PST (Pacific Standard Time)
- 8am BST (British Summer Time)
- 8am AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Based on location, participants will be in one of these cohorts, but can also attend the other, or catch live sessions on-demand.
Register here for the Esports Teacher Academy.