North Ayrshire Council

06/07/2022 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/08/2022 09:41

Learn about our special island using fantasy video game

Posted on 7 Jun 2022

PUPILS from across North Ayrshire are getting the chance to learn all about Cumbrae thanks to smash hit computer game Minecraft.

The Isle of Cumbrae, has been recreated in Minecraft as part of a unique project to engage young people with the area's heritage.

The game called Cumbraecraft was rolled out to Cumbrae Primary School on the island last year. It proved so popular that now it is now open to public and can be used as a resource across the region.

Students from Abertay University in Dundee built Cumbraecraft, a heritage-themed game for primary school children as part of the Millport Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme which is being delivered by North Ayrshire Council and Historic Environment Scotland.

It can be downloaded from our Cumbraecraft page.

Housed on the Minecraft education platform, Cumbraecraft comes with eight distinct lessons and is designed to allow children to explore local heritage landmarks and learn more about their history.

Garrison House, Lion Rock and Cathedral of the Isles are just some of the places featured on the virtual island.

Crocodile Rock, the port and the town's library are also explorable in the game.The resource has been designed so it can be used in both classroom and home-learning settings.

Games students Claire Monaghan, Fergus Coyne and Romain Bourdon worked on the project for three months while studying at Abertay's internationally-renowned School of Design and Informatics - Europe's top ranked institution for video games education.

The students were supported by Teaching Fellow Kayleigh Macleod and other staff members to ensure the project aligned with their studies.

The Cumbraecraft project aims to use game-based learning to teach children about Scottish culture, language and tradition.

Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for the Islands, said: "This is a great way for young people to learn about Cumbrae and hopefully it becomes a resource used widely beyond North Ayrshire.

"Cumbrae has such a rich history and it is so important that our young people learn about their community and heritage."