When you’re interested by purchasing Christmas items for youngsters, likelihood is that a Lego set isn’t too a long way out of your thoughts. The never-ending creativity that Lego bricks provide method they may be able to be used for way over following directions to construct the fashion at the entrance of the field. They’re even utilized in educational analysis.
Our analysis makes use of Lego to get younger folks speaking to one another about id, belonging and participation in society. We lend a hand younger folks interact with one some other to assume severely about their position on this planet and their relationships with others.
We draw on the concept that of “worldview” – ideals and values that form how we understand issues – and discover how our worldview (whether or not devout, non-religious or someplace in between) influences how we see and have interaction with others and society.
In a up to date learn about, we gave piles of Lego bricks to 10 teams of younger folks in 4 secondary faculties throughout England and requested them to construct fashions to turn their responses to questions. But even so the truth that it’s amusing, development with Lego is a formidable means for folks to precise themselves.
Making and considering
“Building” provides folks time to replicate and may end up in extra considerate, imaginative, and regularly emotional responses. The facility of metaphor is especially useful in exploring non-public or delicate problems. It supplies a way of distance; we really feel much less uncovered and ready to speak about issues that may be tough to precise.
It is a methodology used within the Lego Severe Play manner: a device evolved for the administrative center by way of the Lego Staff with the concept by way of “thinking through fingers” we use either side of the mind with possible to unharness perception and creativeness. We observe this to discover concepts of commonality and distinction.
Scholars in our learn about explored concepts of id by way of development a fashion to turn “three things that make you, you”. Some scholars involved in issues they prefer, akin to spare time activities, or essential issues for them. Many additionally highlighted people who mattered to them, their heritage, country, religion, communities and nature. We requested scholars to give an explanation for their fashions and, in doing so, they explored the advanced and numerous sides of their very own and others’ identities.
Fashions constructed by way of the scholars.
Martha Shaw/Alexis Stones, Writer equipped (no reuse)
When development a fashion of “where you feel you belong”, the scholars thought to be their connections to folks and puts. What emerged have been a couple of allegiances and loyalties wherein gender, ethnicity, nationality, faith, pursuits, aspirations and politics all intersected in advanced and unpredictable techniques. We requested scholars what connections there have been between their Lego structures, and to turn this by way of attaching string between their very own and others’ fashions.
Making connections
We then requested scholars to turn and give an explanation for the issues they do in those puts to be able to discover their participation in social and civic lifestyles. At this level, we requested scholars about their faith or worldview and to sprinkle beads onto their fashions the place this used to be related for them. This helped scholars take into accounts their non-public worldview and know the way this pertains to id and belonging, to their movements, and to society.
Hooked up fashions.
Martha Shaw/Alexis Stones, Writer equipped (no reuse)
In any case, we requested the scholars to construct in combination “what it means to be a citizen”. Right here they mixed their concepts, operating in combination in a brand new and interactive means that can pay consideration to distinction and connection. “It shows how we are all connected together in society and how in order for society to function we must work together,” one of the vital scholars mentioned.
Our analysis displays that younger peoples’ worldviews are advanced and dynamic: they form and are formed by way of interplay in society. In different phrases, there’s a advanced interaction between worldviews, civic id and motion. The younger folks informed us that the analysis procedure larger their working out of themselves and every different. The enjoy of establishing and dialogue constructed empathy, a way of interconnectedness and shared imaginative and prescient for a extra cohesive society. As a part of our challenge, we’ve put in combination assets in this means for lecturers to make use of.
A up to date evaluate of the nationwide curriculum for England goals to equip younger folks in tackling the demanding situations of our converting international, and recommends larger provision of spiritual training and citizenship. As a analysis means and an academic software, Lego or different development toys have the possible to lend a hand lecturers and younger folks to assume out of doors the field, whether or not that’s the Lego field, id “boxes” or conventional approaches to finding out.
