Using Lego Serious Play as an Educational Innovation for Modeling Solutions in Higher Education with a Gender and Human Rights Focus on Social Change

• Published in: IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference pp. 1 - 5
• Main Authors: Contreras Dominguez, Jorge Antonio, Palacios Perez, Olga Liliana
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 08.05.2024
• Subjects: Computer assisted data analysis; educational innovation; Higher education; Humanities; Navigation; Research engagement; Statistical analysis; Systematics; Teamwork; Technological innovation; Training
• ISSN: 2165-9567
• DOI: 10.1109/EDUCON60312.2024.10578882

Within the professional-level training unit "Gender Society and Human Rights," it was observed that students faced challenges in developing the competencies of Complex Reasoning, Systematic Thinking, and Communication, as stipulated for this course. Specifically, difficulties arose during the execution of research project activities, which include the creation of a problem tree and a logical framework matrix in order to solve social issues in partnership with a human rights and dignity promotion office. These challenges stemmed from a lack of methodologies for collaborative work in humanities subjects and an unfamiliarity with identifying, defining, and proposing solutions to social problems and needs. This, in turn, impacted the promotion of the public interest, sustainability, and the strengthening of democracy. In response, an intervention was devised by introducing the innovative educational tool of symbolic solution modeling using building blocks inspired by Lego Serious Play. This gamification approach was implemented to address the identified issues and enhance the students' ability to collaborate effectively while navigating the complexities of social challenges. The research adopts a descriptive-exploratory scope, especially on the modeling of solutions, proposal and improvements. The results were obtained by employing both an experimental group and a control group to compare outcomes before and after the intervention using rubrics and interviews with the students and with the formative partner. The study aims to shed light on the effectiveness of utilizing Lego Serious Play as an educational innovation in higher education. The intervention seeks to bridge the gap in collaborative methodologies within humanities disciplines and equip students with the skills necessary for identifying, analyzing, and proposing solutions to social issues. By incorporating gamified elements into the educational process, the research anticipates an improvement in students' abilities to contribute meaningfully to the promotion of the public interest, sustainability efforts, and the democratic strengthening of society. The comparative analysis between the experimental and control groups aims to provide empirical evidence supporting the potential positive impact of this innovative educational approach on students' competency development in the targeted areas. This research contributes valuable insights to the broader discourse on enhancing education in the realm of Gender, Society, and Human Rights, with implications for future pedagogical practices in higher education settings.