Figuring It Out in the College Classroom: Using Digital Escape Rooms and Mysteries

Educational Escape Rooms (EERs) have emerged as a game-based experience to provide instructional support and promote content engagement across a wide range of disciplines. This chapter describes how digital experiences, inspired by recreational physical escape rooms, can be used to achieve learning objectives in many disciplines. The chapter describes the use of EERs in a regional state university in Missouri (University of Central Missouri) to teach a range of skills and knowledge in undergraduate-level Spanish classes. URLs, generated by a variety of sites and programs, can be linked to create experiences that allow students to progress through challenges and activities. Examples and a general discussion describe how these experiences can employ strategies supported by learning science. For example, the chapter describes how EERs can positively manage student attention and motivation. Additionally, instructors can design them to nudge students to use effective learning strategies such as retrieval practice, interleaving material, and concept attainment. EERs can also leverage the power of uncertainty and surprise to create positive emotional engagement with material. The chapter concludes with suggestions for implementation and future research.