Plagiarism is such an important aspect of academic integrity, and yet such a dry and boring subject to teach, or so I thought.
I was looking for some inspiration for the Microteaching session. I had no idea at this stage what I was going to bring to the session, or teach. I remembered someone ask about bringing in something that could be made as part of the session, which had started me thinking about buttons. I had started researching articles about active learning as this is something that I wanted to explore more.
I use LEGO in school for groups and team work so I wondered how I might be able to combine the two, and began my search for active learning and LEGO. I had never considered it as a tool to use in my Library lessons, let alone to teach about plagiarism, and now I have done both!
I found an article in the Times HE by Dan Swanton, a senior lecturer at Edinburgh University. He has used Lego in his lectures, apprehensively at first, not knowing how the LEGO would be received. But the Play element creates a more relaxed and engaged audience and the LEGO has shown to support active learning in many ways:
- “encouraging students to engage with, reflect on and experiment with ideas and experiences
- challenging the usual organisation, hierarchies and atmospheres of teaching spaces. Building and working collaboratively involves rearranging furniture, moving around and using floor space.
- shifting the students’ focus away from screens, notes and the lecturer.
- providing focus for cooperative learning as bricks reshape interactions between students. Discussions take place while students focus on playing and making with their hands. Debate, reflection and analysis are mediated by the bricks.
- allowing ideas to be communicated non-verbally through building and manipulation of bricks.
- providing a medium for story-making and storytelling
- enabling creation that gives a focus to all-class discussions. In a variation of a “posters and galleries” method, creations are introduced, and specific features are identified, moved and explained in ways that animate peer discussion.” Swanton (2021).
From here I followed Dan’s references and found an article by Carina Buckley, from
Southampton. She had written an article titled, Conceptualising Plagiarism: Using
LEGO to construct students understanding of authorship and citation. My initial
thoughts of how can you teach about plagiarism and referencing using LEGO, were
soon dispelled after reading the article. I had found what I was looking for. Her methods
sounded perfect for what I needed. So, after a few adjustments, I have
adapted Buckley’s method, (2015), for my own purposes. Watch this space to find out
how the session goes. I hope it will be a success. Thinking outside the box – is a
game changer. Buckley, (2015) writes of the importance of the understanding of
referencing of work to avoid plagiarism, as we all know. However, she also talks of the
often, misunderstanding that students have around producing an academic text.
(Myself included!!).
“To teach referencing effectively, in a way that helps students to understand
what plagiarism is and to avoid it in their own texts, means in practice to teach paraphrasing and the fundamental nature of academic writing.” Buckley, (2015)
I wish I could say that I was going to teach how to paraphrase, (something I struggle with myself), but hopefully the session will give (students), a new outlook on ownership, academic writing and referencing.
Buckley, C (2015), ‘Conceptualising Plagiarism: Using Lego to construct students’ understanding of authorship and citation’, Teaching in Higher Education, 20(3), pp. 352-358. DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2015.1016418. https://dio.org/10.1080/13562517.2015.1016418. Accessed: 28/1/2023
Swanton, D (2021), ‘Teaching with LEGO: Using plastic bricks to encourage Play and Interaction in class’ in Times Higher Education. Available at: Teaching with LEGO: using plastic bricks to encourage play and interaction in class | THE Campus Learn, Share, Connect (timeshighereducation.com). Accessed: 28/1/23