Explore te ao Māori and digital fluency through Minecraft
Built within Minecraft: Education Edition, Ngā Motu is an interactive island where students can explore concepts of te ao Māori. Created by Piki Studios’ Whetu Paitai, Ngā Motu allows learners to learn the history of Aotearoa and explore cultural values within the fascinating world of Minecraft. Ngā Motu was developed in a Māori context first, before developing English language resources.
A collaborative project between Microsoft and Tātai Aho Rau Core Education was launched to build on this immersive island experience. As part of the project, Tātai Aho Rau developed a set of bi-cultural resources to support kaiako and tamariki to explore Ngā Motu together.
Minecraft: Education Edition is an engaging way for learners to develop knowledge of te ao Māori and digital fluency.
Ngā Motu education cards
Ngā Motu education cards support kaiako to create a structured learning journey. The cards provide context and support curriculum aligned learning outcomes. Ngā Motu is interactive, for example ākonga can ask questions as they learn about pre-colonial times and culture.
The Education cards resource aligns with Taumata | Levels 3 and 4 Hangarau Matihiko | Digital Technologies in The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA), the Māori medium.
Ngā Motu education cards guide learners through the island as they work to better understand te ao Māori.
Explore the resources
Ngā Motu Game Cards
These game cards are designed for ākonga to be able to find their pathway through the Ngā Motu world. Learners will be able to make the most of the opportunities the world offers as they face a variety of wero (challenges). Instructions guide them through each wero and the activities. These activities are aligned to the NZC and give students updates as they progress through the curriculum levels.
Ngā Motu Educator Guides
Ngā Motu educator guides allow kaiako to understand the Ngā Motu world and develop the confidence to support their students. The Ngā Motu educator guides are designed to be used alongside the Ngā Motu game cards. Through these guides and lesson plans, kaiakio can gain an understanding of the Ngā Motu world as they facilitate learners through structured journeys, in both online and unplugged Ngā Motu activities.
