Goldsmiths - University of London

Context

This project combined NESTA’s concern for creativity and innovation and LEGO Education’s commitment to hands-on learning. The two teamed up to develop materials for 11 - 14 year olds linked to ‘systems and control’ aspects of the curriculum, based on LEGO RoboLab and Mindstorm resources.. TERU was commissioned to evaluate the impact the resources had in the classroom.

Focus

NESTA’s requirement was that we should assess the extent to which the resources:

• created interest and enthusiasm for teachers and learners;
• encouraged creativity and innovation;
• encouraged cross disciplinary learning.

We structured the research into three phases:

• phase 1 using interviews, questionnaires and school visits to establish baseline views on creativity and systems and control;
• phase 2 classroom observation and interviewing teachers and learners while using the resources;
• phase 3 collecting data from teachers reviewing their experience.

Outcomes

There was evidence that involvement in the project shifted teacher’s views on creativity. Problem solving was consistently seen as a strong element, but ‘risk taking’, ‘using imagination’ and ‘lateral thinking’ were superseded by spontaneity, chance and enthusiasm - all things teachers recognised in learners working with the LEGO materials. The concrete nature and speed of 3D modelling with LEGO and the discussion it generated were identified as good supports to creative activity but the ‘lock-step’ nature of guidance material was seen as inhibiting. Most teachers planned to continue to use the resource, possibly customising it to their own situation.