Using digital educational escape rooms as a motivational review tool for Economics

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of balancing engagement and learning outcomes within the realm of game-based learning theory. It demonstrates how digital educational escape rooms (DEER) serve as a means of stimulating motivation and facilitating content review. The experimental group outperforms their peers in this regard and has a significant perception that DEER enhances the quality of their learning process. The methodology involves the integration of both quantitative and qualitative instruments, specifically a digital questionnaire for the former and a debriefing or focus group for the latter. The experimental groups were selected randomly on an annual basis, with consideration given to controlling variables such as sex and prior academic performance. Data were gathered from students enrolled in the Economics degree who were taking Industrial Organization (Market Theory) courses over a three-year period from 2019 to 2022. The use of breakout activities in digitalising the learning experience has enabled their application to a broad range of subjects. While there may be comparable initiatives in other academic areas, this marks the initial implementation of such an endeavour within the domain of economic pedagogy.