Heads up, educators: With the new school year in full swing, you'll soon be able to purchase the full version of Minecraft: Education Edition.
Microsoft in June released an early access version of Minecraft: Education Edition for testing purposes throughout the summer. That version will be available through Nov. 1, at which point the full version will go on sale for $5 per user, per year.
Since June, more than 35,000 students and educators around the world have tried the program and provided feedback about it, Microsoft said. Based on their comments, the company plans to add several new features for the November launch, including a Classroom Mode companion app that lets educators manage world settings and communicate with students from a central user interface. The app displays a map view of the Minecraft world and a list of all the students in the world, and also offers a set of management settings and a chat window.
Also on tap are new Minecraft game features, including all the latest updates to Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta like leads and horses, additional player skins, and an updated user interface.
If you haven't yet used Minecraft in the classroom, be sure to check out this site, which includes lesson plans and a new mentorship program connecting educators with others experienced in teaching with the program.
"Once I understood the fact that teachers don't have to be experts or gamers, I got started in Minecraft. Let the students be the experts — they are a great resource. I love how working in Minecraft makes my students engage in, reflect on and talk about history — or any subject, really!" Educator Katja Borregaard said in a statement.
In other Minecraft news, Microsoft this week launched the Xbox One S Minecraft Favorites bundle for $300.