Tag: Classroom Teamwork

Everything is Awesome: Legos® to Teach Teamwork and Communication – Faculty Focus
A group of 38 nurses, seven Lego building block kits, and 45 minutes was all our nursing professional development team needed to improve staff communication and patient safety. Game-based learning (GBL) via Lego® building is a well-received training modality with a review of literature showing the potential to increase teamwork, communication, and comprehension (Warburton et al., 2022).

Lego® Serious Play®, a specific form of GBL, is a “facilitated, communication and problem-solving teaching technique using Lego® building blocks to use the concept of ‘hand knowledge’ to teach cognitive concepts” (Lego®, 2025). GBL is a frequent training modality our nurse education department uses for the quarterly skills day. Our quarterly skills days are training days dedicated to vital training requirements. We have used escape rooms, team Jeopardy, and role-plays, but our staff asked for something different. Our team held a brainstorming session, during which we decided to utilize Legos® to teach triage and communication skills.

The Idea for Lego® GBL

The idea for Lego® GBL in our facility was based on a critical incident tabletop exercise attended by nursing residents. Our nurse residents needed to complete and experience a mass casualty incident triage, but we were unable to involve them in the actual training exercise. I considered recreating the critical incident using a Lego® hospital and emergency department model. We used Lego® minifigures as our key players and victims: we had an ambulance, a stretcher, and an overturned truck.

The use of Lego® GBL learning addresses key elements of communication required for highly functioning teams.
- Staff Engagement. The training energized the staff, prompting them to run the scenario multiple times.
- Team Effort. The physical nature of the building blocks fosters a strong working environment that revolves around a shared mental model.
- Critical thinking. The team makes key decisions on triage using limited information, following the triage guidelines, and relying on clear communication.
Lego® GBL and Communication Training

Our team was seeking an innovative approach to teaching communication skills beyond a traditional code team exercise. I instantly thought back to how successful the Lego® critical incident tabletop exercise went and told the team we should consider using this for all our learners.

I then conducted research and found three articles outlining how to create an educational exercise and its proven efficacy (Bethel et al., 2021; Lambert et al., 2023; Warburton et al., 2022). We began our design by creating a timed building scenario that involved 13 bricks and eight distractor bricks, which are not required to complete the build. We then decided we wanted to have three distinct roles in our building team:
- Staff Nurse or Builder. This person was the only person who could see the build and touch the Lego® building blocks. The builder was behind a blinder and could not see the written instructions from their team members. The builder can only create the build based on verbal instructions from the runner.
- Relief Nurse or Runner: This person was responsible for verbal communication between the staff and charge nurses. They could not see the build instructions or the build itself, and they could not physically interact with the Lego® build.
- Charge Nurse or Diagram Holder: This person was responsible for being the only person who could see the build instructions. They passed on the verbal instructions to the runner. The charge nurse was behind a blind and cannot leave their workstation.
Projected Outcomes of Training

In developing this opportunity, I initially thought of what our outcomes would be. First, I wanted the learners to be engaged and to have data to support the need for future training. Second, I wanted the teams to verbalize that they improved communication in their teams. Third, I aimed to teach the principles of High Reliability Organization (HRO) communication to enhance patient safety. Finally, I briefly touched on the importance of rapid process improvement and the use of standardization documents (Standard Work and Standard Operating Procedures) to make work more consistent and safe.

Build Time: Everything is Awesome!

Our team facilitated the training, consisting of seven skills days, with an average of 15-24 participants per group. We introduced the guidelines for the activity and divided the teams into three groups. After the initial build, we conducted debriefings and reviewed the builds. All the builds were within 50% accuracy of the template, and no team finished before the five-minute time limit.

Next, I provided a brief 15-minute learning on (1) communication theory, (2) running a rapid process improvement, and (3) teamwork building. The teams had five minutes to do a team huddle. The purpose of the team huddle is to communicate a shared mental model of a task to ensure all members of the team have understanding. They identified that they wanted to make changes: (1) removing the blinders, (2) providing all team members with the build instructions, and (3) allowing all team members to touch the Legos®. The team employed more effective communication techniques during the second build. All teams utilized the 3 Cs of high-quality communication (clear, concise, and complete). Most teams finished within two minutes, with all teams achieving 100% accuracy with the template model.

Next Steps in Facility Lego® GBL

I plan to present this project to our nursing evidence-based council for further review and consideration. In the meantime, five additional units have requested this training by word-of-mouth advertising. In response to these requests, I have revised the instructions so that I could train other facilitators to run a 45-minute session. Our HRO and quality staff have expressed interest in formalizing this as part of our Pathway to Excellence drive.

Conclusion

Educators can use block learning as a tactile approach for learners to witness the outcomes of their “soft skills” training, which focuses on communication and teamwork. Lego® GBL provides a fun, engaging, and novel way for healthcare workers to experience competency training. Lego® GBL and Lego® Serious Play® offer ways for teams to interact in a manner that reduces stress by removing the high stakes of traditional simulation-based education.

Michael Brakel, RN-BC, is a Registered Nurse (RN) serving with the Veterans Affairs-Northern California Health Care System (VA-NCHCS) as a Nurse Educator. He has worked with the VA-NCHCS in various capacities, including Utilization Management RN, Utilization Review RN, Community Care RN, Affiliate Professor, and Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) RN Care Coordinator. Additionally, he has worked as a Nurse Consultant with the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), serving as a hotline team member and team lead. Mr. Brakel holds advanced degrees in management and psychology. He graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a degree in nursing. Mike is certified in Managed Care Nursing, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, Nursing Professional Development, and Nursing Case Management. He holds certifications as a Certified Professional of Patient Safety and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality in addition to his nursing credentials. Resilience, compassion fatigue, nurse retention, and the application of measurement-based screening in mental health care are his main research topics. Before coming to the VA, Mr. Brakel retired after 25 years in the United States Air Force Nursing Corps, specializing in Behavioral Health. Mike served as a nurse, charge nurse, and education specialist serving on inpatient units at Travis Air Force Base, California, and the San Antonio Military Medical Center. His last roles in the Air Force were serving as the Air Force lead Mental Health Nursing Educator and as the Deputy to the Air Force Consultant to the Surgeon General for Mental Health Nursing.

Dr. Julia VanderMolen is a Professor for the Public Health program at Grand Valley State University and a Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor with the University of the Pacific, School of Health Sciences. Her research examines the benefits of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities in public health. She serves as a board member of the Disability Advocates of Kent County and is an active member of the Disability Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Her current research focuses on exploring the health and medical services available to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

References

Bethel, E. C., Marchetti, K. A., Hecklinski, T. M., Daignault-Newton, M. S., Kraft, K. H., Hamilton, B. D., Faerber, G. J., & Ambani, S. N. (2021). The LEGO™ exercise: An assessment of core competencies in urology residency interviews. Journal of Surgical Education, 78(6), 2063-2069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2021.05.011

Lambert, N. J., Luo, X., & Ola, A. (2023). Knowing me, knowing you: Self-reflection and understanding diversity for effective teamwork Lego® building activity. Management Teaching Review, 10(1), 21-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/23792981231190589

Warburton, T., Brown, J., & Sandars, J. (2022). The use of Lego® Serious Play® within nurse education: A scoping review. Nurse Education Today, 188(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105528
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November 24, 2025
Everything is Awesome: Legos® to Teach Teamwork and Communication – Faculty Focus
A group of 38 nurses, seven Lego building block kits, and 45 minutes was all our nursing professional development team needed to improve staff communication and patient safety. Game-based learning (GBL) via Lego® building is a well-received training modality with a review of literature showing the potential to increase teamwork, communication, and comprehension (Warburton et al., 2022).

Lego® Serious Play®, a specific form of GBL, is a “facilitated, communication and problem-solving teaching technique using Lego® building blocks to use the concept of ‘hand knowledge’ to teach cognitive concepts” (Lego®, 2025). GBL is a frequent training modality our nurse education department uses for the quarterly skills day. Our quarterly skills days are training days dedicated to vital training requirements. We have used escape rooms, team Jeopardy, and role-plays, but our staff asked for something different. Our team held a brainstorming session, during which we decided to utilize Legos® to teach triage and communication skills.

The Idea for Lego® GBL

The idea for Lego® GBL in our facility was based on a critical incident tabletop exercise attended by nursing residents. Our nurse residents needed to complete and experience a mass casualty incident triage, but we were unable to involve them in the actual training exercise. I considered recreating the critical incident using a Lego® hospital and emergency department model. We used Lego® minifigures as our key players and victims: we had an ambulance, a stretcher, and an overturned truck.

The use of Lego® GBL learning addresses key elements of communication required for highly functioning teams.
- Staff Engagement. The training energized the staff, prompting them to run the scenario multiple times.
- Team Effort. The physical nature of the building blocks fosters a strong working environment that revolves around a shared mental model.
- Critical thinking. The team makes key decisions on triage using limited information, following the triage guidelines, and relying on clear communication.
Lego® GBL and Communication Training

Our team was seeking an innovative approach to teaching communication skills beyond a traditional code team exercise. I instantly thought back to how successful the Lego® critical incident tabletop exercise went and told the team we should consider using this for all our learners.

I then conducted research and found three articles outlining how to create an educational exercise and its proven efficacy (Bethel et al., 2021; Lambert et al., 2023; Warburton et al., 2022). We began our design by creating a timed building scenario that involved 13 bricks and eight distractor bricks, which are not required to complete the build. We then decided we wanted to have three distinct roles in our building team:
- Staff Nurse or Builder. This person was the only person who could see the build and touch the Lego® building blocks. The builder was behind a blinder and could not see the written instructions from their team members. The builder can only create the build based on verbal instructions from the runner.
- Relief Nurse or Runner: This person was responsible for verbal communication between the staff and charge nurses. They could not see the build instructions or the build itself, and they could not physically interact with the Lego® build.
- Charge Nurse or Diagram Holder: This person was responsible for being the only person who could see the build instructions. They passed on the verbal instructions to the runner. The charge nurse was behind a blind and cannot leave their workstation.
Projected Outcomes of Training

In developing this opportunity, I initially thought of what our outcomes would be. First, I wanted the learners to be engaged and to have data to support the need for future training. Second, I wanted the teams to verbalize that they improved communication in their teams. Third, I aimed to teach the principles of High Reliability Organization (HRO) communication to enhance patient safety. Finally, I briefly touched on the importance of rapid process improvement and the use of standardization documents (Standard Work and Standard Operating Procedures) to make work more consistent and safe.

Build Time: Everything is Awesome!

Our team facilitated the training, consisting of seven skills days, with an average of 15-24 participants per group. We introduced the guidelines for the activity and divided the teams into three groups. After the initial build, we conducted debriefings and reviewed the builds. All the builds were within 50% accuracy of the template, and no team finished before the five-minute time limit.

Next, I provided a brief 15-minute learning on (1) communication theory, (2) running a rapid process improvement, and (3) teamwork building. The teams had five minutes to do a team huddle. The purpose of the team huddle is to communicate a shared mental model of a task to ensure all members of the team have understanding. They identified that they wanted to make changes: (1) removing the blinders, (2) providing all team members with the build instructions, and (3) allowing all team members to touch the Legos®. The team employed more effective communication techniques during the second build. All teams utilized the 3 Cs of high-quality communication (clear, concise, and complete). Most teams finished within two minutes, with all teams achieving 100% accuracy with the template model.

Next Steps in Facility Lego® GBL

I plan to present this project to our nursing evidence-based council for further review and consideration. In the meantime, five additional units have requested this training by word-of-mouth advertising. In response to these requests, I have revised the instructions so that I could train other facilitators to run a 45-minute session. Our HRO and quality staff have expressed interest in formalizing this as part of our Pathway to Excellence drive.

Conclusion

Educators can use block learning as a tactile approach for learners to witness the outcomes of their “soft skills” training, which focuses on communication and teamwork. Lego® GBL provides a fun, engaging, and novel way for healthcare workers to experience competency training. Lego® GBL and Lego® Serious Play® offer ways for teams to interact in a manner that reduces stress by removing the high stakes of traditional simulation-based education.

Michael Brakel, RN-BC, is a Registered Nurse (RN) serving with the Veterans Affairs-Northern California Health Care System (VA-NCHCS) as a Nurse Educator. He has worked with the VA-NCHCS in various capacities, including Utilization Management RN, Utilization Review RN, Community Care RN, Affiliate Professor, and Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) RN Care Coordinator. Additionally, he has worked as a Nurse Consultant with the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), serving as a hotline team member and team lead. Mr. Brakel holds advanced degrees in management and psychology. He graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a degree in nursing. Mike is certified in Managed Care Nursing, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, Nursing Professional Development, and Nursing Case Management. He holds certifications as a Certified Professional of Patient Safety and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality in addition to his nursing credentials. Resilience, compassion fatigue, nurse retention, and the application of measurement-based screening in mental health care are his main research topics. Before coming to the VA, Mr. Brakel retired after 25 years in the United States Air Force Nursing Corps, specializing in Behavioral Health. Mike served as a nurse, charge nurse, and education specialist serving on inpatient units at Travis Air Force Base, California, and the San Antonio Military Medical Center. His last roles in the Air Force were serving as the Air Force lead Mental Health Nursing Educator and as the Deputy to the Air Force Consultant to the Surgeon General for Mental Health Nursing.

Dr. Julia VanderMolen is a Professor for the Public Health program at Grand Valley State University and a Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor with the University of the Pacific, School of Health Sciences. Her research examines the benefits of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities in public health. She serves as a board member of the Disability Advocates of Kent County and is an active member of the Disability Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Her current research focuses on exploring the health and medical services available to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

References

Bethel, E. C., Marchetti, K. A., Hecklinski, T. M., Daignault-Newton, M. S., Kraft, K. H., Hamilton, B. D., Faerber, G. J., & Ambani, S. N. (2021). The LEGO™ exercise: An assessment of core competencies in urology residency interviews. Journal of Surgical Education, 78(6), 2063-2069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2021.05.011

Lambert, N. J., Luo, X., & Ola, A. (2023). Knowing me, knowing you: Self-reflection and understanding diversity for effective teamwork Lego® building activity. Management Teaching Review, 10(1), 21-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/23792981231190589

Warburton, T., Brown, J., & Sandars, J. (2022). The use of Lego® Serious Play® within nurse education: A scoping review. Nurse Education Today, 188(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105528
Source link
November 24, 2025
A Student’s Guide to Success: Six Strategies to Reduce Team Conflict – Faculty Focus
Working as a successful team member remains one of the most important skills that employers report that they want when hiring college graduates. This means that when professors create well-executed and high-quality team projects, they can help their students succeed in a challenging job market. However, there are times when professors fail to help students to develop the necessary teamwork skills that our students will need, such as helping them learn how to manage team conflict.

We surveyed college professors a few years ago to better understand the problems they face when running team projects, even learning about why some choose to avoid team projects altogether. Many reported that they struggle because of the issues that students face when working in a team, such as one student taking over the project, figuring out how to grade a team project, motivating social loafers, and including dealing with team conflict.

The reality is that conflict will inevitably occur during team projects. We can help our students work better in teams by teaching them how to manage the conflict that they will face.

Many students think that there is something wrong when conflict occurs on their team. However, conflict can be a positive force for team decision-making when it’s focused on the task, provides new perspectives on the issues, and shows how the team can improve. On the other hand, there are types of conflict that can be destructive, such as when it gets emotional and focuses on people and personal grievances, rather than the work that the team is doing.

In this article, we recommend six easy strategies to help your students try to avoid the destructive emotional conflict and better manage the substantive conflict in their team when it does occur.

1. Focus on Team Goals

It’s important to start your team project by emphasizing the importance of the team project to their work in your class. This requires more than discussing how the project paper or presentation relates to their grade. Instead, help your teams to understand the skills that they will gain from working on the project you’ve assigned. When team members see the value in your team project, they are more likely to work together on it.

2. Create a Team Charter

Start your teams off right by having them create a team charter. This should include at least three components: when and how long they will meet each week, how to contact one another, and a list of behavioral and attitudinal obligations that they have to one another. These obligations may include things like how soon to respond to messages, how responsibilities are assigned, and even how they will resolve disagreements as they work together.

3. Use Frequent Check-ins

Monitoring how well your teams are working together can help you to identify a minor conflict before it becomes a major problem. These check-ins can be accomplished through ongoing peer evaluations, when you attend their team meetings, and/or through team updates they can provide, often as an assignment on your LMS. Once you learn about a potential conflict, you can make some suggestions for how they might move forward. We have often made Google Drive folders for each team with instructor access, and we require students to write their contributions to the instructor each week as one way to keep an eye on potential issues that might derail their projects. We’ve even had these project updates impact a small portion of the final grade of the project.

4. Focus the Team on Their Task

Keep your teams focused on the team task. You can help them to accomplish this by breaking down your project into components and setting intermediary deadlines. Scaffolding a team project this way can help keep your teams moving forward rather than spiraling or stalling. You can also regularly remind them about the main goal of the assignment. Finally, make sure to explain how any conflict that occurs needs to focus on issues with substance (e.g., how to collect data, what recommendations should we give, etc.) because these are important parts of the discussions that will help their team to create a better project. Similarly, remind them that they should not be spending time hurling angry accusations at each other or talking to team members behind others’ backs. We like to use the following quote to help our students with this:

Conflict is inevitable. Anger is a choice. And almost always the wrong choice. — Seth R. Silver

This way, they begin to understand that their conflict is not a problem until it starts to boil over into frustration, anger, and even resentment that derails them.

5. Address Conflict Resolution Strategies in Class

There are many great conflict resolution strategies that you can use to help your students recover when they do in fact face some conflict. One of our favorites is a team-based Start-Stop-Continue exercise. In it, the team discusses what they should start doing (e.g., setting deadlines for completing action items), stop doing (e.g. showing up late to team meetings), and continue doing (e.g. keeping the other team members informed about their work) in order to be successful. Remind students that this is a team discussion, which means that they should use team talk (“we can start setting deadlines”) and it should not include any ‘naming or shaming’ that calls out any one team member by name.

6. Get Involved When Necessary

If you’re following the first five steps, your teams will usually work through most conflicts. But, there are times where you might need to get involved – this should be a last resort and often only when you are asked to intervene. When you get such a request, you should meet with the team outside of class time. Your main role will be listening to their issues and asking open-ended questions. This will help them to find (or maybe even gently guide them towards) a solution on their own, because your students will be more committed to a solution that they help to create. You want to avoid dictating a solution unless the team is ready to self-destruct and it is truly the only way forward.

By incorporating these six strategies into your team project, your students will be more likely to:
- Have a better team experience in your class;
- Learn important skills that will help them in future teams;
- Be more likely to successfully work in teams in other classes; and
- Have a compelling story that they can share with potential employers about how well they worked in a team.
In addition, it will improve your own experience with team projects (and make them easier for you to grade, too)!

Tim Franz is Professor of Psychology and Lauren Vicker is Communications Professor Emeritus, both at St. John Fisher University. We started working together to team-teach a course in group dynamics beginning in 2004, coming from the fields of psychology and communications. We have presented, written, and published on teamwork and team projects, with our latest effort being Making Team Projects Work: A College Instructor’s Guide to Successful Student Groupwork, published by Routledge/Taylor & Francis, 2025. Approaching the issue from two different perspectives and teaching beyond our own home disciplines in business, pharmacy, criminology, etc. has given us a broad perspective into the issue.
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October 1, 2025