Building LEGO Building Minds

Across the college, LEGO is being used in amazing ways to unlock the potential of our learners through curricular, extra-curricular and employer engagement projects.  

LEGO in lessons 

LEGO is used in countless ways to bring the curriculum to life, such as recall and revision activities, breaking down complicated concepts and visually demonstrating essay structure. Recently, our Psychology learners created LEGO models of key concepts on the curriculum such as Beck's negative Triad, Skinner's box, and the functions of a synapse. Through the use of LEGO as a recall activity, learners solidified these important concepts in their memory. After making the models, the learners engaged in discussion and questioning which tested the limits of their understanding.

A-level Psychology teacher and LEGO Curriculum Lead, Shafina Vohra discussed the value of this teaching method: “Using LEGO in lessons is always unexpected and that’s why I love it so much. It’s not about me driving their thinking – I am questioning what they are thinking. I am not telling them what to think but rather teaching them how to think. You have got to think very critically for psychology and to achieve that, learners need space to explore. The perfect tool to facilitate this is LEGO!”

Teachers also use LEGO as a catalyst to cultivate ideas and solidify learners’ understanding of vital topics on the curriculum.  

Extra-curricular

LEGO is not just used in lessons; it also branches out into extracurricular activities through LDE UTC’s LEGO innovation programme. This learner-led programme provides in-house work experience, as learners are trained to be responsible for specific job roles within the programme. It is made up of four labs: the Play Lab, the Projects Lab, the Professional Development Lab and the Primary Lab – each with its own unique function.   

The Play Lab takes place every Friday afternoon where learners get the chance to freely explore LDE UTC's LEGO resources. Through play, learners have created a range of impressive models, whilst incorporating technical skills such as coding into their work to enhance their creations.  

The Professional Development Lab offers learners the opportunity to turn the tables! Learners design LEGO workshops for their teachers and demonstrate how to use them in lessons. 

The Primary Lab trains learners to design, develop and teach workshops focused on tackling global issues such as plastic pollution and deforestation.  

The Projects Lab promotes employer engagement by regularly collaborating with external companies to deliver these workshops.  

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