Creating an Escape Room: A Discussion on Experiential Learning and Interdisciplinary Studies

Abstract

The institution of the university is changing rapidly. No longer are students attending university to simply become experts in an area of interest. Instead, students are expecting to graduate university with enough experience to enable their professional careers and futures. In recent years, Brock University has been using ‘experience’ as a tag line to market itself: “EXPERIENCE. EDUCATION.” “EXPERIENCE. HOMECOMING.” “EXPERIENCE. DRAMATIC ARTS.” This choice was made to emphasize the university’s belief in experiential learning. In 2017, third-year students from Brock University’s Department of Dramatic Arts and Department of Interactive Arts and Science practised experiential learning by collaborating with the Niagara Military Museum to build fully functional escape rooms. Utilizing the skills developed in their programs, the students accomplished an impossible task and created a World War I escape room and a Cold War-themed escape room for beta testing. A unique experience for all involved, it is rare that at a university, students from different majors would collaborate at all, let alone with a task involving such high stakes. This article features a raw, candid conversation between students involved in this process.