This document provides information about a series of workshops on creativity for learning in higher education. It includes: - Dates and locations for 5 workshops covering topics like creativity in action, using story for learning, and learning through making. - Information about additional support like action learning sets, showcase events, and conferences to share learning. - Details of pre-workshop tasks like reading an article and bringing an item they created. - An outline of activities to be done during the workshops like building models to represent identities and developing creative activity ideas. - References for further reading on topics like constructionism and the LEGO Serious Play method.

1. with Chrissi Nerantzi @chrissinerantzi
Creativity for Learning and FLEX artwork by artist Ellie Livermore

2. Workshops info
• workshop 1 (29.1.15, 1-4pm, AS105): Unit overview, introduction to creativity in HE, enablers and
barriers
• workshop 2 (5.2.15, 1-4pm Manchester City Centre): Creativity in action! Let’s play the “Sell your
bargains” game, where game-based learning meets problem-based learning
• workshop 3 (12.2.15, 1-4pm, AS 105): The use of story for learning and teaching
• workshop 4 (19.2.15, 1-4pm, AS105): Learning through making and LEGO® Serious Play®
• workshop 5 (5.3.15, 1-4pm), ART STUDIO TBC Innovative project ideas exchange and development
• BONUS: automatically join the Greenhouse, monthly gatherings with showcase events Creative
Spaces
• Next term:
– action learning sets (peer support)
– Face-to-face and online tutor support
– 17 June showcase your innovations at the Greenhouse and BSE pre-conference event,
– here on campus, more info to follow
– 15 July CELT Summer Conference to share our poster presentations and
complete all assessment linked to the unit!!!
theory and practical application, activities and development of creative practices

3. pre-workshop tasks
1. Read: Ackermann, E. (2001) Piaget’s Constructivism, Papert’s
Constructionism: What’s the difference?, in: Future of
learning group publication, Vol. 5, Issue, 3, pp. 1-11,
available at
https://www.zotero.org/barbrad/items/itemKey/5FTU5ZZN
2. Take a picture of something you made and bring it to the
session. What does this mean to you?
3. Think of your most creative session and create a visual
representation to capture important elements of this. You will
share this with others at the start of the session.

4. Bin it!
• Capture something you did recently
in one of your sessions that didn’t
work.
• Make a ball out of this.
• Add it to the bin.
• Pick somebody else’s “rubbish”.
• By the end of the session come up
with an idea to take the binned idea
forward!!! Share with the originator.
image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Paperball.png
http://www2.psd100.com/ppp/2013/10/0401/recycle-bin-empty-icon-1004144319.png

5. “Building the intangible into physical models, and
articulating and visualising data can help us see what
we may otherwise be missing, and find the surprising
patterns.”
(Kristiansen & Rasmussen, 2014, 215)

6. “Building the intangible into
physical models, and
articulating and visualising data
can help us see what we may
otherwise be missing, and find
the surprising patterns.”
(Kristiansen & Rasmussen,
2014, 215)

7. What do we ask our students to do
in HE?

8. LSP is real life stuff
• think
• reflect
• question
• explore
• discover
• construct
• share
• learn

9. Task 1 (1 min): Build a tower
Task 2 (3 mins): Build a little animal using
up to 6 bricks.
Task 4 (5 mins): Add something to this
animal that says something about yourself.
Share with others.
LSP:Warm-up

11. Why? To increase...
• Insight
• Confidence
• Commitment
•Goal (A->B)
•Complex process
•Sharing for a purpose
•Community feel, safe
place
When?
Collective intelligence

12. transformation of experiences
• from passive to active
• from the individual to the group
• from focus on self to self- and social-awareness
• from domination to pan-participation
• from construction to de-construction to re-construction
• from replication to uniqueness

13. LEGO® Serious Play®
• Pan-participation, community > safe
Rasmussen, 2006)
• Learning through play (Brown, 2010)
• Thinking with our hands & learning
through making (Gauntlett, 2011);
James, 2013)
• Learning through metaphors (Schön,
1983)
• Helps reflecting, opening up and
sharing (Nerantzi & McCusker, 2014;
Nerantzi & Despard, 2014)
• Insight into complex situations,
understanding self and others
• Facilitated by trained LSP practitioner
(The LEGO Group, 2010; James, 2013)

14. theoretical underpinning
“learning by making”
Constructionism
(Papert)
“In flow”
(Csikszentmihalyi)
“hard fun”
(Papert)
“new understanding
through metaphors”
(Schön)
LSP

15. LSP Method steps
1. Ask a question
2. Build
3. Share
4. Reflect

16. We trust our hands!
We trust the process!
We all build!
We all participate!
Remember!

17. • The builder owns the model
• Metaphors belong to the builder
• We talk about the model

18. the role of the LSP facilitator
• Active listening
• Use open questions
• Remind participants to focus on the model, also to touch the model!
• Avoid making judgement
• Avoid imposing interpretations
• Role: coach, facilitator, consultant, tech-support

19. Task 1: Build a model to visualise who you are as
a teacher/facilitator.
Task 2: Build a model to show how you think
others see you as a teacher/facilitator.
Task 3: Build a model of who you would like to
become as a teacher/facilitator?
Task 4: Share your models with the group.
LSP:Identity

20. It is not about the bricks but what the bricks enable through effective
facilitation and questioning techniques!
What about other
materials?

21. connecting kit: print your own!
http://fffff.at/free-universal-construction-kit

22. Unwanted/Unloved objects wanted!
Please bring a collection of items with you. Not too small, not too big ;)
http://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2012/07/22/18/54/ball-52667_640.jpg

23. Design studio activity
1. Reflect on what we did during the workshop
and identify opportunities to develop a
creative activity for learning, teaching or
research.
2. Discuss with a colleague.
3. What could you try?

24. post-workshop extensions
• Reflect on the session
• Implement the activity/ies you developed
• Consider inviting a peer to observe you
• Reflect, evaluate and enhance
• What else could you try and why?
• Prepare for the next workshop.

25. References
• Brown, S. (2010) Play. How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination,and invigoratesthe soul, London: Avery, Penguin.
• James, A. R. (2013) Lego Serious Play: a three-dimensional approach to learning development, in: Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education,
No. 6 (2013), available at http://www.aldinhe.ac.uk/ojs/index.php?journal=jldhe&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=208&path%5B%5D=154
• Gauntlett, D. (2011) Making is connecting. The social meaning of creativity, from DIY and knitting to YouTube and Web2.0, Cambridge: Polity Press.
• Kristiansen, P. & Rasmussen, R. (2014) Building a better business using the LEGO® Serious Play® Method, Hooken: Wiley.
• Nerantzi, C and Despard, C (i2014) Lego models to aid reflection. Enhancing the summative assessment experience in the context of Professional
Discussions within accredited Academic Development provision, Journal Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice
• Nerantzi, C and McCusker, S (2014) A taster of the LEGO(R) Serious Play(R) Method for Higher Education, OER14 Building Communities of Open
Practice, Conference Proceedings, 28-29 April 2014, Centre for Life, Newcastle, available at http://www.medev.ac.uk/oer14/19/view/
• Rasmussen, R. (2006). When you build in the world, you build in your mind. Design Management Review, 17(3), pp. 53-63.
• Schön, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner,San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• The LEGO Group (2010). Open-source/<Introduction to LEGO(R) Serious Play(R), available at
http://seriousplaypro.com/docs/LSP_Open_Source_Brochure.pdf

26. with Chrissi Nerantzi @chrissinerantzi
Creativity for Learning and FLEX artwork by artist Ellie Livermore
https://p2pu.org/en/courses/2615/creativity-
for-learning-in-higher-education/

27. This workshop/course counts towards FLEX, which is a personalised and practice-
based CPD programme with formal and informal pathways and enables you to
get recognition via the FLEX award for your CPD activities, work towards up to 30
credits of the PgCert/MA in Academic Practice and help in preparation for an
application for professional recognition with the HEA.
FLEX activities need to have a focus on learning and teaching. To find out more
about FLEX and how to submit your claim, please visit FLEX at
http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/flex/ or on Twitter using the hashtag #flexcpd
FLEX lead Chrissi Nerantzi at c.nerantzi@mmu.ac.uk
practice-based CPD