The Minecraft Experiment | Tumble Episode
- tumblepodcast
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
How do people learn — and how can a video game help us find out? In this episode, we meet cognitive scientist Dr. Charley Wu, who turned Minecraft into a giant science experiment. With help from a “braintrust” of kid Minecraft experts, Lindsay and Marshall explore how Charley used pumpkins, watermelons, and blocky rewards to study when we learn on our own and when we learn from others. Plus, ideas for turning your own games into experiments!
🎧 Listen to the Episode
⛏️ What Kids Will Learn
How a video game could be used to help us understand how people learn
What "social learning" is and how kids can use it to learn new things
🔎About The Featured Expert
Charley Wu is a scientist who loves asking big questions about how people think, learn, and make decisions. He studies the “puzzles of the mind,” using experiments and games to understand why our brains work the way they do. Charley grew up curious about everything, from building contraptions with LEGO bricks to wondering where ideas come from. Now, he combines that same curiosity with science, computer games, and math to explore how humans solve problems. When he’s not doing research, Charley enjoys playing music, riding his bike, and sharing cool science facts with kids and adults alike. His favorite part of science is the thrill of discovery, which he believes everyone, no matter their age, can experience.
🧑🏫 Classroom & Home Resources
🔗 NGSS Alignment: MS-LS1-8, MS-LS1-4, MS-LS2-2
📜Crosscutting Concept: Patterns, Cause & Effect, Analyzing and Interpreting Data
📚 Learn More:
Minecraft Education - A library of educational resources all operating within the world of Minecraft. Learn all across the curriculum within the game, and maybe even try out designing an experiment yourself!
Who Discovered Neurons? - A feature from the McGovern Institute at MIT celebrates Santiago Ramon y Cajal, the Spanish scientist who discovered neurons and is considered by many to be the father of modern neuroscience.
✨ Try It Yourself – Build a Learning Game (No Minecraft Needed!)
Place sticky notes or small items around a table. Some should be bunched together; others spread out. Flip them over to find “rewards.” Now play again — but this time, watch where others look first. Does copying help you find more rewards? Try changing the pattern to see what happens!
💬 Discussion Questions
Do you think it's always good to watch what others do when you're trying to learn something? Can you think of situations where "social learning" might be bad?
Why do you think Charlie chose Minecraft, and not another game, for his experiment?
Did you learn anything about learning from this episode that might help you in school? Why or why not?
🎧 More Episodes About The Brain and How We Learn: How do We Read?, How Did Language Start?, Do Dreams Have Meaning?
📚 For Teachers: Explore our Audio Courses for NGSS-aligned science learning.
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