In which module and with which objective did you use LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP)?

  • Module ‘Corporate and Personnel Management’
  • Geoinformation - Master of Science (M.Sc.) - 4 SWS

This table summarises the various competence objectives (learning outcomes):

tabelle
Learning outcomes when using LSP in the module ‘Corporate and Personnel Management’

What was the procedure? How many participants were there?

  • Eight students took part voluntarily
  • Warm-up with construction of a stable tower (technical skills - introduction to metaphorical work - storytelling)
  • The students associate themselves with certain roles that represent important perspectives in the case study discussed above
  • With a view to the already known case study, the students in their roles build on a total of four further questions that deal with aspects of the management problem (each LSP process: ask - build - share - recognise)
  • The final task asks students to ‘agree on a common model - a shared understanding of your vision for the team and the department’ (dialogue & negotiation)
  • The workshop ends with a video recording of the problem solution (LSP solution model explained in picture & sound) 

What were the results? What did the participants say about the LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) method?

  • A joint solution to the problem emerged - a vision for solving the management problem 
  • The process has brought together the different views into a jointly designed future perspective
  • The needs-orientated process promotes teamwork - it is worthwhile for everyone
  • The method is perceived by students both as a practical or relaxed but serious method and as manual learning 
  • One student said: ‘Conflict resolution can also work in a playful way’
  • Another student said: ‘Sometimes you can capture thoughts better than (just) formulating them verbally’
Eckhoff
[Translate to Englisch:] Visualisierung der Ergebnisse in Form von gemeinsamen Lösungen und Visionen.

How do I rate the use of LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) in teaching? Where has it helped me? What were the challenges?

  • In my view, LSP is a valuable contribution to methodological diversity
  • The method helps to actively involve all students (‘lean-in’)
  • Students develop & express deep thought processes that were previously less common in case discussions
  • In my view, the manual work and visualisation using LEGO® models optimally supports social and self-competence 
  • The visual checklist (56 building blocks) for the small LSP bags is extremely useful, as is the use of kitchen scales
  • The large LSP bags are highly recommended (don't let students get frustrated) - at the same time, I think it is impractical to check the return of all the bricks here

Why would I recommend LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) to other teachers?

  • It is easy to ‘make all voices resonate’
  • It is possible to make different perspectives visible & include them in the solution process 
  • LEGO® Serious Play® offers a ‘safe space’ for discussions, because you stay and communicate close to the model, not the people
  • Lots of fun & excitement