Better Writing, Brick by Brick: a Student-Centered Writing Exercise Using LEGO.

Area of Science:

• Science Education
• Communication Skills Development

Background:

• Developing clear science communication skills is crucial but challenging for students.
• Effective written communication is a cornerstone of scientific literacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance students' understanding of clear written communication principles.
• To provide an engaging and practical learning experience for science communication.
• To identify and address challenges inherent in scientific writing.

Main Methods:

• Students worked in pairs using LEGO bricks for a communication exercise.
• One student described a LEGO structure, while the other built it without visual reference.
• The activity was followed by a debrief and an in-class writing assignment.

Main Results:

• The LEGO exercise served as an effective icebreaker for a writing-intensive course.
• Students actively engaged with the features and challenges of clear communication.
• The majority of students found the exercise enjoyable and beneficial.

Conclusions:

• The LEGO-based activity successfully highlights the importance and difficulties of clear written science communication.
• The exercise is adaptable for both in-person and online learning environments.
• This method is suitable for various course contexts requiring communication skill development.