The Learning Lab POWER of PLAY at Dimitrie Leonida Technological High School in Piatra Neamț engaged students in entrepreneurship through digital storytelling and LEGO® Serious Play®. Students formed mini-companies, created interactive videos about local businesses, and prototyped their own ventures using gamification techniques. Teachers guided through the process, fostering collaboration and creativity.
By Goethe-Institut BrusselsA case study from the Creative FLIP Learning Labs 2020/21
Imagine a classroom, where students build businesses with LEGO bricks and craft stories through interactive videos. Between December 2020 and March 2021, the Learning Lab “POWER of PLAY” transformed a school in Romania into an innovation hub, connecting cultural and creative professionals with education. The result? A playful and powerful approach to entrepreneurial learning that inspired a young generation of creators.
In early 2021, Dimitrie Leonida Technological High School in Romania faced a challenge familiar to many: how to keep students motivated during a pandemic and prepare them for a rapidly changing job market. The POWER of PLAY Learning Lab offered an answer by introducing an innovative hands-on approach that combined creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship.
The Vision behind the LLab
Implemented by CENTRUL DE INCUBARE CREATIV INOVATIV DE AFACERI, the Learning Lab brought cultural and creative professionals as facilitators of experience into the classroom of thirty 15-18 years old students of the Dimitrie Leonida Technological High School from Piatra Neamț. They sought to engage students in participatory practices, making them active creators rather than passive learners.
Play as an Entrepreneur
The Learning Lab was built around the methodological guide “PLAY AS AN ENTREPRENEUR!”, which introduced gamification and LEGO® Serious Play® as tools for learning. Students participated in two main activities:
LEGO Entrepreneurship Workshop: Using LEGO bricks and the Business Model Canvas, students prototyped their own business ideas, learning about creativity, risk-taking, and innovation.
Digital storytelling to encourage creativity and reflection through video production.
Students were organised into mini companies, taking on roles as producers of digital films. Their mission was to tell the stories of successful and unsuccessful businesses in their community, showing that failure is part of the journey. This meant reaching out to local entrepreneurs, learning how they started, what obstacles they faced, and how they overcame challenges.
At the same time, students participated in LEGO® Serious Play® workshops, where they prototyped their own business ideas using LEGO bricks and the Business Model Canvas. This hands-on approach helped them understand concepts like value creation, risk-taking, and innovation in a playful yet practical way.
The process was transformative. Students learnt and experienced about entrepreneurship from first hand. They wrote scripts, filmed interviews, and edited videos, all while reflecting on what makes a business succeed. These activities developed not only entrepreneurial skills but also soft skills such as teamwork, communication, and critical thinking. Teachers played a crucial role by guiding students through research, storytelling, and video production. This collaborative approach strengthened the teacher-student relationship and made learning more engaging.
The Learning Lab culminated in an online multiplier event with 21 participants, where students showcased their videos and competed for the most creative film. This event reinforced the value of storytelling in entrepreneurship and gave students a platform to share their ideas.
Why Stories Matter
The POWER of PLAY Learning Lab achieved great results:
- Students produced interactive videos (hypervideos) showcasing local entrepreneurs.
- LEGO workshops helped students design and prototype their own business ideas.
- Teachers received the PLAY AS AN ENTREPRENEUR! manual to replicate the approach in future classes.
- Motivation increased significantly, especially among students at risk of early school leaving (ESL).
Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Students described the experience as “fun,” “inspiring,” and “different from anything we’ve done before.” Many expressed a new interest in entrepreneurship and media production, with some considering careers in journalism or creative industries.
The Learning Lab POWER of PLAY showed that when education embraces creativity and collaboration, students become more motivated, confident, and future-ready. By combining storytelling, technology, and play, this Learning Lab taught entrepreneurial and creative skills alike.
Image: © CIBIC
Key Takeaways
