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Utilising LEGO® Six Bricks® to Enhance the Pedagogy of Pre-Service Teachers in South Africa

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Breytenbach, Tarien, Marais, Elma, Botha, Carolina, Coertzen, Florence·2025·Jurnal Paedagogy
DOI 10.33394/jp.v12i1.13483
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Abstract

This study explores the potential of LEGO® Six Bricks®, a manipulative educational tool, to enhance the pedagogical skills of third-year pre-service teachers in South Africa. Employing participatory action learning and action research (PALAR), the study involved six third-year pre-service teachers from North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. Data was generated using LEGO®-voice, reflective journalling and reflective group conversations during and after school-based teaching practice. Data analysis involved thematic content analysis and inductive analysis using ATLAS.ti 23 software These pre-service teachers not only had to reflect on their own perceptions regarding pedagogy and the role that pedagogy plays in being a teacher, but also on how a manipulative can be utilised as a teaching tool. The findings in this study revealed that LEGO® Six Bricks® positively impacted pedagogical approaches despite challenges such as insufficient support from mentor teachers and resource constraints. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on bridging the theory-practice gap in teacher education by integrating innovative, play-based learning tools.

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  • Experimenting with Six Bricks® added value to participants' own pedagogical approaches.

    “In an unexpected but considerable finding, the participants reported that experimenting with this resource not only added value to learners and to their own pedagogical approaches (Breytenbach et al., 2025), but also mitigated some of the prominent challenges they encountered during teaching practice placements.”

    From Using LEGO® Six Bricks® as an educational resource to address challenges pre-service teachers face during school-based teaching practice (2025) · cites this paper as Breytenbach et al., 2025

  • Experimenting with Six Bricks® added value to learners.

    “In an unexpected but considerable finding, the participants reported that experimenting with this resource not only added value to learners and to their own pedagogical approaches (Breytenbach et al., 2025), but also mitigated some of the prominent challenges they encountered during teaching practice placements.”

    From Using LEGO® Six Bricks® as an educational resource to address challenges pre-service teachers face during school-based teaching practice (2025) · cites this paper as Breytenbach et al., 2025

    The Abstract reports that Six Bricks positively impacted pre-service teachers’ pedagogical approaches, but it does not report that learners benefited. Searches for “added value to learners” and learner benefits from Six Bricks found no passage in our copy addressing that part of the claim. (LLM, conf=0.72)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Experimenting with Six Bricks® mitigated some of the prominent challenges participants encountered during teaching practice placements.

    “In an unexpected but considerable finding, the participants reported that experimenting with this resource not only added value to learners and to their own pedagogical approaches (Breytenbach et al., 2025), but also mitigated some of the prominent challenges they encountered during teaching practice placements.”

    From Using LEGO® Six Bricks® as an educational resource to address challenges pre-service teachers face during school-based teaching practice (2025) · cites this paper as Breytenbach et al., 2025

    The citation in the printed sentence is attached to the earlier statement about value to learners and pedagogical approaches, not explicitly to the subsequent claim that Six Bricks mitigated placement challenges. The Abstract reports a positive impact on pedagogical approaches despite challenges, but does not say the resource mitigated those challenges; no passage in our copy verifies that claim. (LLM, conf=0.75)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Research works printed but not linked: 34

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  33. Breytenbach, T., Marais, E., Botha, C., & Coertzen, F. (2025). Utilising LEGO® Six Bricks® to Enhance the Pedagogy of Pre-Service Teachers in South Africa. Jurnal Paedagogy, 12(1), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.33394/jp.v12i1.13483
  34. Vol. 12 No. 1 (2025): January

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Authors
Breytenbach, T., Marais, E., Botha, C., & Coertzen, F.
Affiliations
North-West University (ZA)
ORCID
Venue
Jurnal Paedagogy
Publisher
LPPM IKIP Mataram
Published
2025-01-21
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
33
ISSN
  • 2355-7761 (ISSN-L)
  • 2722-4627
DOI
10.33394/jp.v12i1.13483
OpenAlex
W4406605441
Cited by
0
References
0
FWCI
0.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Jurnal Paedagogy (publishedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
  • Social Sciences › Education › Mathematics Education and Teaching Techniques
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Educational Methods and Teacher Development
Keywords
pre-service teachers, pedagogical skills, theory-practice gap, play-based learning, school-based teaching practice, reflective practice, teacher professional development

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