Ministry of Education and Science and Lego Foundation to monitor results of applying Lego constructors for first-graders and to sign a new Memo on cooperation

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, together with the Lego Foundation, will conduct a large monitoring study, which will be used to draw conclusions about the results of the use of constructors in the educational process and the impact on the education of first-graders. This was agreed during a meeting between the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Lilia Hrynevych and Vice-President at The Lego Foundation Kasper Ottosson Kanstrup today, November 26, 2018, at the Ministry of Education and Science.

"The new Ukrainian school is a reform for the decades to come. We treat it with high responsibility what and how we introduce in schools. Conducting a large-scale monitoring of the use of Lego constructors, which due to the Foundation are available to all Ukrainian first-graders nowadays, will help to test which techniques work best and which not. If it is necessary, we would even improve the implementation process", said Lilia Hrynevych.

To buildup the research architecture, a separate working group with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, The Lego Foundation, scientists involved in the study of teaching methods in elementary school, as well as recognized monitoring centers is established.

"It is important that this study be formed in the light of the goals of our reform. In other words, we will not be able to measure the success of the introduction of competency learning, if we verify only cognitive indicators. Monitoring should reveal an impact on the development of mathematical and literacy competencies, the impact on the involvement of the child in education, the improvement of communication skills and the ability to work in groups. All these things should be included by this working group in the research architecture", explained the Minister.

Vice President of The Lego Foundation noted that for the Foundation the project in Ukraine is very important and they also have a stake in the results of the use of the constructor.

"It is important for us because this project has had a great influence on the lives of Ukrainian children and has given equal access to opportunities. We are interested in continued and deepened cooperation. Meanwhile, the term of the Memorandum signed in the field of preschool education recently expired. We propose to develop and ink a new long-term memorandum, which would include all the directions of our cooperation and help to systematically develop our cooperation for the future", said Kasper Ottosson Kanstrup.

The parties decided to prepare a new memorandum, to include in the directions of cooperation the continuation of monitoring studies and to sign the document in the near future.