Educational Escape Room Research Articles

A Generic Multilevel Structure for Educational Escape Rooms

The use of active learning activities for evaluation purposes has been reported to improve results in all areas within the education field. In this paper we describe a generic multilevel structure for educational escape rooms, along with a use case where such a design was applied for assessment in a course within the STEM area. Furthermore, a project-based learning activity was also added to complement that assessment. The results obtained expose an increase in both academic performance and success rate, where the percentage rises in both cases go in line to the literature. Additionally, a high level of engagement was measured during those active learning activities, which is reported to lead to better performance and improved learning. Hence, this high engagement seems to be the primary source of the increments experienced.

Gamifying the university classroom: a comparative analysis of game dimensions through educational Escape Room and a digital board game

IntroductionUniversity education is looking for innovative ways to enrich the teaching-learning process.MethodsThis study aims to describe and compare two gamified experiences: an educational Escape Room and a digital goose board game with Genially. The design of this research follows a quantitative correlational methodology. A total of 135 university students in the first year of the Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education participated in the study.ResultsData were collected using the Gamified Game Experience Scale (GAMEX). The results of contrasting means for the game dimensions between both gamified experiences reveal a significant variability (p < 0.01) in favor of the Escape Room in fun, absorption, creative thinking, activation and mastery. On the other hand, the absence of negative affect was significant (p < 0.05) in favor of the digital board game.DiscussionIt could be said that the educational Escape Room manifests itself as a powerful resource for learning. However, it can induce a high level of stress, generating discomfort, hostility and frustration in students, so its implementation is not free of negative effects. These findings provide additional empirical evidence that could guide the design of gamified experiences in the Higher Education environment.

Escape Rooms as Tools for Learning Through Failure

The increasingly neoliberal course of Higher Education is linked to rises in student anxiety around assessment and increased fear of the consequences of failure. Making mistakes is an inevitable part of any learning process (and of life generally) and managing failure in a productive and positive way is crucial for success and wellbeing beyond university. In this article, we argue that academia does not adequately prepare learners for managing mistake-making progressively and that escape rooms can provide a way to facilitate learning through failure. We first present an original model of failure-based learning that explores why being able to make mistakes safely is important for students and why the use of escape rooms in Higher Education presents an excellent opportunity for the application of this model. We then show the relevance of this model by using it to analyse two case studies that explore different ways in which educational escape rooms can be used in Higher Education: either designed to facilitate learning by playing a game; or supporting learning through designing a game. Our model of failure-based learning has three stages, emphasising the importance of preparation, an iterative play cycle of testing, failing, reflecting, and revising, and finishing with a presentation phase. The article concludes by considering the limitations of educational escape rooms in this context and highlighting some practical considerations for the use of these approaches.

POSSIBLE UTILIZATION OF GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS FOR CREATING DIGITAL EDUCATIONAL ESCAPE ROOMS

Escape rooms used for teaching purposes are usually called educational escape rooms. Educational escape rooms are cooperative games designed for teaching particular educational material based on a series of narrative-driven puzzles that group(s) of pupils/students must solve within a limited time to achieve the goal of the game and leave a room or environment (or alternatively break into the locked box or unravel a mystery). The shift to online teaching caused by the COVID-19 pandemic increased the use of educational escape rooms in a digital format. Digital educational escape rooms are escape game-like interactive activities (based on educational content) that are made with digital technologies. Most of the research studies and literature reviews suggest that digital educational escape rooms could have some positive impacts on students’ cognitive, behavioral, and affective learning outcomes. However, a significant amount of digital escape games created by teachers lack engaging story, challenging narrative-based puzzles (that are related to specific learning objectives), and cohesive graphics. Therefore, the practical usability and effectiveness of such games in real and virtual learning environments are questionable. In the field of educational game development, generative artificial intelligence can play a significant role in simplifying the process, improving quality, and saving time. This paper discusses how teachers could utilize generative artificial intelligence tools to ease and improve the creation process of digital educational escape rooms. In other words, this paper provides examples of how elements of digital escape games (such as narrative, game environment images, and puzzles) can be created with generative artificial intelligence tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Bing Image Creator, Stable Diffusion, AutoDraw, etc.).

Creation and evaluation of an educational escape room for preclinical training on 3D printing in dentistry.

The benefit of pedagogical escape rooms for dental students' stimulation, interest and knowledge strengthening has been suggested by several studies. However, in previous studies, only a few students were evaluated. This study aims to confirm the purpose of this innovative pedagogical tool in terms of learning consolidation and team building from students' perceptions. We directly incorporated an educational escape game into the fundamental academic formation as a practical-work course for fifth-year dental students. The present escape game focused on 3D printing, whose implementation fit the different steps of an escape game well. This study was conducted in March 2022. All fifth-year dental students (n = 212) were divided into 5-6 student groups to match the conditions of an escape game. Before entering the room, each student had to complete a cross-sectional knowledge true/false test of 8 questions to assess their general level. Additionally, an 18-question appreciation survey was completed when leaving the room. The students perceived the 3D-printing escape game to be relevant and especially expressed the benefit of being part of a team to exchange and build knowledge. These results suggest knowledge strengthening. The instructional benefit of this process seemed to exceed its mere fun and appealing aspect. Our results with a large number of students showed that, from the students' perception, the educational escape game significantly improved knowledge and team-building. It created a supportive learning environment and increased students' motivation. It can provide a fun and effective way to diversify instruction.

Acid Base Global - An Escape Room to Teach the Chemistry of Acids and Bases

In recent years the popularity of educational escape rooms increased. To escape as fast as possible, learners must solve different puzzles in a collaborative manner. The puzzle structure is reminiscent of problem- or inquiry-based learning. Therefore, educational escape rooms are particularly suitable for science education. This paper describes the development and first evaluation of an educational escape room for the chemistry classroom called Acid Base Global. Acid Base Global deals with typical acid-bases reactions, neutralization, chemical formulas, the pH-value, identification of acids, bases and ampholytes as well as the Brønsted-Lowry-theory. It can be used to review and consolidate content knowledge and to diagnose learning difficulties. Acid Base Global was first implemented in an upper secondary chemistry course consisting of 16 students. A questionnaire containing six open questions and 16 Likert items was used for evaluation. All groups were able to escape within the given time limit, although the format was challenging for the students. Overall, learners were interested in the game concept and found it to be a fun approach to repeat and apply their chemical knowledge in a different way.

Low-Threshold Digital Educational Escape Rooms Based on 360VR and Web-Based Forms

Escape rooms are an established game genre that has become popular in educational contexts in recent years. Digital escape rooms are variations, which use digital environments and may be played by participants not present on site. Compared to physical escape rooms, digital escape rooms are characterised by lower implementation and application efforts and at the same time by reduced intensity of the experiences. There is little evidence to date as to whether these low-threshold escape rooms are nevertheless sufficiently effective for learning. In this evaluation study, a learning activity based on a digital educational escape room (DEER) that uses the 360°-based spatial visualization (360VR) of a waterworks and a web-based form – contributing guidance and the escape room-specific challenges – is analysed. In the learning activity, students of environmental engineering study programs are asked to explore the 360VR-based waterworks guided by the instructions and challenges in the web-based form. Quantitative results of the study on learning outcomes and variables relevant to learning, such as emotion, motivation, and usability (N=73) are reported. The evaluation is supported by the qualitative results of guided interviews. Remarkably, some participants would have preferred to explore the 360VR environment without the guidance provided by the web-based form. Overall, the results show the learning effectiveness of the DEER, the efficacy of the web-based form as a guidance instrument, and values of learning-relevant variables that are conducive to learning. The DEER also achieved a high level of acceptance among students. Due to the low effort required for the creation of the DEER by lecturers and for application on the part of students, the presented combination of 360VR and web-based forms can be seen as a powerful low-threshold learning tool that enriches teaching.

Gamification as a methodology to enhance analytical and sustainable engagement on social media

This research examines the impact of gamification on the development of critical thinking skills to counter misinformation, focusing specifically on students’ roles as developers of educational software. Involving 107 university students, this study employs an experimental pretest–posttest methodology. An educational Escape Room was implemented, and its influence on critical and digital competencies was scrutinized. The procedure comprised three stages: pretest measurement, formative intervention, and posttest evaluation. A comparative analysis of the scores for the questions highlights a pressing need to enhance media and digital literacy. The findings reveal a predominance of responses indicating improvements in source verification and fact-checking. However, no significant differences were observed in the pre and post responses (0.607 > 0.05), leading to the conclusion that the implementation of a technological training program does not significantly contribute to acquiring skills for identifying falsehoods and deceptions on the internet. In conclusion, the study underscores the necessity to develop effective strategies to address misinformation and recognizes gamification as a motivating educational tool.

Classroom to escape room: an innovative experience to prepare and test students

Paramedicine is a rapidly evolving profession and teaching strategies need to be creative and forward thinking to meet the ever-changing demands of the role. Educational escape rooms incorporate a variety of learning environments in which students participate in a range of simulation-based activities based on solving puzzles and retrieving codes, which result in finding a prize. A mixed methods action research study was undertaken to ascertain whether an escape room approach can increase engagement and attainment in year-one paramedic science degree students at a UK university. The results showed that 100% (n=52) stated they would recommend this activity, 100% (n=52) agreed it helped them to review their teamwork skills and 98% (n=51) said that it improved their communication techniques. Non-technical skills enable the development of technical skills and knowledge within the workplace and are an overarching factor in providing good practice and reducing errors. An escape room approach is arguably an effective teaching method when the activities are based on learning outcomes.

Locked up in the Science Laboratory: A smooth transition from class-room to escape-room

We are at a time when students seem to be losing interest in school. This decline is particularly noticeable in Physics and Mathematics. Student performance and grades are in decline and teachers have begun to look for ways through their teaching to regain the lost glory of the school and make it an important contributor to society in an ever-changing environment. The aim of the educational community is to attract the student at the last desk by involving him or her in the teaching process through active participation. This study aims to integrate escape rooms, in the context of the Physics and Mathematics Curriculum, into the learning process and to introduce game-based learning activities as an alternative form of teaching. For this purpose, during the 2023-24 school year, an educational escape room was created and implemented at a junior high school in Athens, Greece. A total of 9 students participated in the escape room, while a total of 60 students were involved in this activity. After completing the process, all the students filled out a questionnaire regarding their experience and the extent to which they accepted this method as a teaching tool. At the end, a statistical analysis of the questionnaire and a discussion on the emergence of escape rooms as suitable educational tools in the teaching process is followed.

Educational Escape Rooms Are Effective Learning Activities Across Educational Levels and Contexts: A Meta-Analysis

Educational Escape Rooms Are Effective Learning Activities Across Educational Levels and Contexts: A Meta-Analysis

Assessment of the Educational Live Action in Uncertainty Environment under Single-Valued Neutrosophic Sets

Health professional educators are increasingly using escape rooms as a teaching tool. Given the fast development in their use, investigators have chosen varied assessment approaches to evaluate the instructional rooms. Considering educational escape rooms is a multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) process based on various criteria. This study proposed a MADM model to assess the educational escape rooms. This study used the VIKOR MADM method to evaluate the criteria and alternatives. This evaluation is made under a neutrosophic set to overcome the uncertainty information. We collected fourteen criteria and ten alternatives in this study. We employed a sensitivity analysis to show the proposed model's effectiveness and the results' stability. The analysis shows the results are stable.

Empowering Database Learning Through Remote Educational Escape Rooms

Empowering Database Learning Through Remote Educational Escape Rooms

Perceptions of pre-service teachers while developing a virtual educational escape room (VEER) using online collaborative learning

In this study, we present the insights of pre-service teachers who developed a virtual educational escape room (VEER), using online collaborative learning only. The purpose of the study was to learn how online collaborative learning promotes meaningful learning in pre-service teachers. The research used qualitative paradigm. The students perceived the collaborative learning (CL) as meaningful for them for five main reasons: being active learners, being part of a learning group, the relevance of CL to their professional development, the importance of the product for them, and the feedback they received from pupils in school. The findings reveal that the students were satisfied with the collaborative learning process and were able to create a supportive community that promotes learning.

Are Remote Educational Escape Rooms Designed During the Pandemic Useful in a Postpandemic Face-to-Face Setting?

Are Remote Educational Escape Rooms Designed During the Pandemic Useful in a Postpandemic Face-to-Face Setting?

Designing a digital escape room game: An experience of a digital learning tool in basic education

The study aims to explore the perspectives of primary school teacher candidates who attend Turkish Language Teaching courses on their experiences of developing digital educational escape room games (DEERGs). Phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research methods, was utilized. The study group comprised 48 primary school teacher candidates who were reached by the convenience sampling method. A semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher and DEERGs designed by the participants were used as data collection tools. In the 14-week study, interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams. The findings were analysed from a holistic perspective using content analysis. Results indicated that the participants preferred Google Forms and Genially tools in game design, and they benefited from Web 2.0 tools. In first language education, games for reading and writing skills were designed, and mostly primary school and 4th-grade achievements were selected. It was observed that they considered areas of interest, individual differences, and constructs that support cognitive-emotional and skill development in scripting. It was emphasized that DEERGs contribute to attention, focus, maintaining and motivating learning, problem-solving, developing a positive attitude towards the lesson, and learning while having fun.

“Travelling to Greek Neighborhoods with English”: Design and Implementation of a CLIL Program at a Primary School

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is an innovative approach which attempts to comprise holistic features, focusing on the meaning and at the same time providing opportunities for purposeful language use (Dalton – Puffer, 2007). Based on the triptych language of learning, language for learning and language through learning- this program aims at creating innovative educational escape rooms, in order to adopt CLIL, to develop skills in the target language (English) and at the same time to emphasize context and meaning. The program -designed for 5th grade students of a Primary School in Northern Greece- was piloted for 5 months, giving them the opportunity to “travel to Greek neighborhoods” and enganging them in the subjects of geography, history and culture, using English, -with great enthusiasm. Various web2 tools, videos, games, websites were incorporated in the escape rooms to provide authentic material so as to enhance authentic communication in the English language and also to use different types of context so as to support language and content knowledge. The program was assessed and evaluated using alternative ways and the results indicated the positive effects of CLIL on the students’ skills in English (TL) along with the significantly developed familiarization with the content through a creative, enthusiastic, motivating setting for students promoting active involvement and participation.

Teaching-learning of the relevance of sustainability through an educational escape room designed for the field of economics and business

Sustainability is a key concept in business management. However, it is often confused with neighbouring terms, which hinders its correct understanding and, therefore, its correct application as a business model. In addition, there are no official curricula on the subject in the specific field of economics and business, so that current students do not receive the necessary training to be able to manage organisations, including companies, in a sustainable way in the near future. To fill this gap, a gamified didactic activity (an educational escape room) was designed with the main objective of familiarising participants with the concept of sustainability in this field. The results show a high level of satisfaction, as well as the suitability of the activity for training in the subject. The discussion concluded that although this tool, and gamification in general, is very interesting for transmitting new knowledge and consolidating previous knowledge (beyond the usual motivation), it requires a considerable investment of time and effort that the teacher, forced by multiple tasks, does not always have available.

Escape Rooms and Collaborative Problem-Solving: Examining the Competence of Teacher Candidates

The paper discusses the use of educational escape rooms as an innovative learning activity that can engage and motivate students to master the curriculum. Traditional didactic models are no longer sufficient to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed in the real world. Therefore, competencies such as communication, collaboration, problem-solving, learning, and performance enhancement are essential.
 An educational escape room is a game created for pedagogical purposes. It involves clues, logical puzzles, and tasks that a team must solve in a limited time. The game's goal is to escape from a physical room or find a hidden object. A crucial aspect of the game is the development of soft skills.
 The paper presents the authors' own educational escape room game, which was designed to measure collaborative problem-solving competencies among students in higher education. The authors used Guttmann diagrams to analyse students' performance according to their competence level.
 The study provides insights into the methodological possibilities of using educational escape rooms to measure collaborative problem-solving competence among students in higher education. The findings have implications for the design of future educational escape room games and for the development of collaborative problem-solving skills among students in higher education.

Teachers’ Competencies in Developing Digital Educational Escape Rooms

The development of digital educational escape rooms (DEERs) by teachers presents many advantages for student learning and engagement. By developing DEERs, teachers have the opportunity to customize the learning experience and align it with specific curricular goals and with the students’ needs. Teachers can select the content that is relevant to the subject matter, and ensure that the puzzles and challenges within the DEERs promote the desired learning outcomes. Furthermore, a digital platform of DEERs enables a large group of students to play simultaneously, or to access the game remotely, and by this allows adjusting diverse learning environments to students’ needs. For these reasons, it is crucial to understand the necessary competencies teachers need to possess to develop a successful DEER. This paper highlights these competencies, in order to promote dedicated training programs for teachers and encourage the adoption of the DEER educational approach in teaching.