Scott Crawford

A Nephrologist and General Physician working in Tauranga, Scott has a keen interest in Medical Education and the use of alternative learning styles to better enhance reflective practice and communication skills amongst junior clinicians.

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LEGO SERIOUS PLAY – Using LEGO Bricks In Medical Education – A Platform For The Future

​To optimize patient care and ensure the long-term health of our workforce, clinicians must increasingly develop reflective practice, teamwork and communication skills. Unfortunately reflective practice is under-practiced as clinicians have limited practical collegial forums to discuss experiences of social, psychological and spiritual upheaval. Open forums may suit dominant extroverts, whilst softly spoken introverts may contribute little, despite having valuable insights. Even if a forum exists, discussing feelings of inadequacy or recounting terrifying experiences is often daunting.Traditional teaching workshops often struggle to navigate ‘communication’ themes like ‘How to take direction…navigate difficult colleagues…deal with disagreement’.
 
A pilot PGY1/2’s workshop, developed at Hawke’s Bay Hospital in November 2020, focused on developing reflective practice, utilising  the LEGO® Serious Play® methodology (LSP) as the ‘Creative pedagogical’ backbone. LSP, a kinestheticmethodology, uses actual LEGO® bricks as an accessible medium for communication, expression and problem solving.
 
Following specific lines of questioning from the facilitator,introverts and extroverts ‘think with their hands’, by building metaphorical structures with LEGO® bricks.  The models promote idea visualization; allowing participants to better communicate and creatively solve problems, as well as  achievehigher levels of self-disclosure and reflection. 
 
Involving nine participants, this initial 2 hr workshop explored ‘experiences and frustrations of the after-hours environment’. Participants and observers were surprised at the depth of honest discussion and reflection the LSP method stimulated; providing a safe forum for participants to explore their own personalities and express their true feelings about how the ‘afterhours’ world affected them. The session clearly demonstrated the power of LSP methodology in future medical education. 
 
This presentation outlines the basics of the LSP method, explores the future educational program development, whilst highlighting the benefits of LSP for the ‘individual, the team and the organisation’. It also explores the potential application of LSP based teaching for other allied health teams.