In the rapidly evolving educational landscape, fostering creativity, engagement, and critical thinking is paramount. The LEGO® Serious Play® method, traditionally used in corporate settings, has found profound applications in schools and universities. By combining hands-on learning with strategic thinking, the LEGO® Serious Play® method in education helps students unlock deeper insights and enhance their educational journey through active participation and experiential learning.
Discover how our certifications can elevate learning experiences. Explore more here.
What is LEGO® Serious Play® method?
The LEGO® Serious Play® method is a facilitated methodology that uses LEGO® bricks to encourage creative thinking, problem-solving skills, and storytelling. Participants build 3D models representing their ideas and thoughts, fostering a shared understanding and deeper engagement in educational settings.
Theoretical Foundation of LEGO® Serious Play® Method in Education
- Constructionism: Rooted in the educational theories of Jean Piaget and Seymour Papert, constructionism suggests that learners construct knowledge best through creating tangible objects and physical models.
- Flow Theory: Proposed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, this theory emphasizes deep engagement and immersion in tasks, a key aspect facilitated by the hands-on approach of the LEGO® Serious Play® method.
- Experiential Learning: The LEGO® Serious Play® method aligns with Kolb’s experiential learning cycle, allowing students to experience, reflect, conceptualize, and experiment, enhancing reflective practice and teaching practices.
Benefits of LEGO® Serious Play® Method in Educational Settings
- Enhanced Engagement: Building with LEGO® bricks captivates students’ attention and encourages active learning activities and participation.
- Deeper Understanding: By constructing models, students externalize and reflect on abstract concepts, enhancing comprehension of difficult concepts.
- Improved Collaboration: The LEGO® Serious Play® method encourages teamwork, creating a collaborative environment and improving communication skills.
- Critical Thinking Development: The process of model-building requires analysis, creative thinking skills, and strategic thinking.
- Safe Expression of Ideas: Students can express complex thoughts metaphorically, facilitating communication with students and addressing real-world problems.
Ready to enhance learning with LEGO® Serious Play® method? See our certification options.
Applications of LEGO® Serious Play® Method in Schools and Universities
- Problem-Solving Workshops: Use the LEGO® Serious Play® method to help students collaboratively tackle complex concepts and problems.
- Identity and Self-Awareness Activities: Allow students to build models representing their goals, values, or personal journeys, encouraging reflective practice.
- Team-Building Exercises: Enhance group cohesion and the collaborative nature of classrooms among undergraduate and postgraduate students.
- Curriculum Development: Teachers can use the LEGO® Serious Play® method to gather student input on course content or project-based learning ideas.
- Conflict Resolution: Facilitate discussions where students visualize conflicts and explore resolutions, fostering emotional intelligence and active listening.
Learn how to implement these applications in your educational setting. See our certification options.
Steps to Implement LEGO® Serious Play® Method in Education
- Define the Objective: Clearly identify the learning goals for the session using an approach to education that promotes inclusive learning environments.
- Facilitator Preparation: Engage a certified LEGO® Serious Play® method facilitator from Serious Play Business to guide the process.
- Warm-Up Exercises: Begin with simple building tasks to familiarize students with the hands-on activities and creative blocs.
- Challenge Presentation: Introduce the core question or challenge for students to model using creative solutions.
- Model Building: Students create models representing their thoughts and solutions, addressing key concepts and learning styles.
- Storytelling and Reflection: Each participant shares the meaning of their model, enhancing collective understanding and reflective practice.
- Debrief and Discuss: Reflect on the insights gained and how they can be applied in future study and aspects of student engagement.
Case Study: LEGO® Serious Play® Method in Higher Education
At a leading university, the LEGO® Serious Play® method was integrated into a strategic management course. Students were tasked with building models representing their understanding of business ecosystems and aspects of building effective strategies. This approach led to increased engagement, richer discussions, deeper comprehension of complex concepts, and an inclusive environment supporting student research capacity.
Becoming a Certified LEGO® Serious Play® Method Facilitator
To maximize the benefits of the LEGO® Serious Play® method in educational settings, educators can pursue certification through Serious Play Business. Certification ensures facilitators are equipped to deliver impactful and engaging sessions that align with qualitative studies and academic settings, and enhance soft skills development.
Conclusion
Incorporating the LEGO® Serious Play® method into educational settings offers a dynamic and effective approach to learning. By fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, the LEGO® Serious Play® method can transform traditional teaching methods into an interactive, innovative approach that enhances classroom dynamics and facilitates deep learning.
Ready to transform learning in your institution? Check out our certification options.
FAQs
1. What age group is suitable for the LEGO® Serious Play® method in education? The LEGO® Serious Play® method is versatile and can be adapted for learners of all ages, from primary school students to university scholars.
2. How can the LEGO® Serious Play® method improve student engagement? The hands-on, creative process keeps students actively involved, encourages them to express ideas freely, and enhances student participation in classroom settings.
3. Is prior experience with LEGO® bricks necessary? No, the LEGO® Serious Play® method focuses on using the bricks as a thinking and communication tool, enhancing student understanding of abstract concepts.
4. Can the LEGO® Serious Play® method be integrated into online learning environments? Yes, with virtual facilitation techniques, the LEGO® Serious Play® method can be effectively adapted for remote learning, enhancing collaborative learning and problem-solving skills.
5. Why choose Serious Play Business for certification? Serious Play Business offers comprehensive and affordable certification programs that provide practical, real-time facilitation experience using andragogical practices and innovative teaching methods.
Start your facilitator journey today. See our certifications.
