IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i9p7393-d1136243.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Out-of-the-Box Learning: Digital Escape Rooms as a Metaphor for Breaking Down Barriers in STEM Education

Author

Listed:
  • Tatjana Sidekerskienė

    (Department of Applied Mathematics, Kaunas University of Technology, LT-51368 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Robertas Damaševičius

    (Department of Applied Informatics, Vytautas Magnus University, LT-44404 Kaunas, Lithuania)

Abstract

The traditional lecture-based model of teaching and learning has led to the exploration of innovative approaches including digital escape rooms. Digital escape rooms offer an immersive and engaging experience that promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork, making them a unique opportunity to address the challenges of STEM education, which is often perceived as difficult, boring, and intimidating. In this study, the goal is to explore the application of digital escape rooms as an innovative practice in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education in Europe. More specifically, the study aims to evaluate the influence of digital escape rooms on student engagement and learning outcomes in mathematics education as well as to provide valuable insights into the efficacy of this approach as a means of teaching mathematics and fostering active and experiential learning in STEAM education. In order to investigate the potential of digital escape rooms as a metaphor for breaking down barriers and escaping from the ”box” in STEM education, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for understanding the pedagogical value of digital escape rooms in STEM education. It outlines the design process, including learning paths and scenarios, storyline, puzzles, challenges, and feedback mechanisms, and presents a concept of escape room design patterns. An example case study of a digital escape room designed to teach mathematics to university students is also presented, providing insights into the effectiveness of this approach. By using digital escape rooms as a metaphor for breaking down barriers in STEM education, a more inclusive, engaging, and impactful learning environment can be created to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

Suggested Citation

  • Tatjana Sidekerskienė & Robertas Damaševičius, 2023. "Out-of-the-Box Learning: Digital Escape Rooms as a Metaphor for Breaking Down Barriers in STEM Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-33, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:9:p:7393-:d:1136243
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/9/7393/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/9/7393/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Félix Yllana-Prieto & Jin Su Jeong & David González-Gómez, 2021. "An Online-Based Edu-Escape Room: A Comparison Study of a Multidimensional Domain of PSTs with Flipped Sustainability-STEM Contents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Arturo Fuentes-Cabrera & María Elena Parra-González & Jesús López-Belmonte & Adrián Segura-Robles, 2020. "Learning Mathematics with Emerging Methodologies—The Escape Room as a Case Study," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Agoritsa Makri & Dimitrios Vlachopoulos & Richard A. Martina, 2021. "Digital Escape Rooms as Innovative Pedagogical Tools in Education: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-29, April.
    4. Hainora Hamzah & Mohd Isa Hamzah & Hafizhah Zulkifli, 2022. "Systematic Literature Review on the Elements of Metacognition-Based Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Teaching and Learning Modules," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-15, January.
    5. Jesús López-Belmonte & Adrian Segura-Robles & Arturo Fuentes-Cabrera & María Elena Parra-González, 2020. "Evaluating Activation and Absence of Negative Effect: Gamification and Escape Rooms for Learning," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-12, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dk Nurul Najiah Pg Abu Bakar & Masitah Shahrill & Yusuf F. Zakariya, 2023. "Digital Escape Game and Students’ Learning Outcomes in Mathematics: Experience From Brunei," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    2. Ana López-Martínez & Lourdes Meroño & María Cánovas-López & Antonio García-de-Alcaraz & Luis Manuel Martínez-Aranda, 2022. "Using Gamified Strategies in Higher Education: Relationship between Intrinsic Motivation and Contextual Variables," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Jin Su Jeong & David González-Gómez, 2021. "Flipped-OCN Method in Mathematics Learning to Analyze the Attitudes of Pre-Service Teachers," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-14, March.
    4. Antonio Baena-Extremera & Pedro Jesús Ruiz-Montero & David Hortigüela-Alcalá, 2021. "Neuroeducation, Motivation, and Physical Activity in Students of Physical Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-5, March.
    5. Lavinia Cornelia Butum & Luminița Nicolescu & Sergiu Octavian Stan, 2022. "Developing Global Competences via University Internationalization Activities—A Comparative Analysis of Business Students’ Opinions before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-30, November.
    6. Guadalupe Molina-Torres & Irene Sandoval-Hernández & Carmen Ropero-Padilla & Miguel Rodriguez-Arrastia & Jesús Martínez-Cal & Manuel Gonzalez-Sanchez, 2021. "Escape Room vs. Traditional Assessment in Physiotherapy Students’ Anxiety, Stress and Gaming Experience: A Comparative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Daniel H. Chang & Michael Pin-Chuan Lin & Shiva Hajian & Quincy Q. Wang, 2023. "Educational Design Principles of Using AI Chatbot That Supports Self-Regulated Learning in Education: Goal Setting, Feedback, and Personalization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-15, August.
    8. Alberto Ferriz-Valero & Ove Østerlie & Salvador García Martínez & Miguel García-Jaén, 2020. "Gamification in Physical Education: Evaluation of Impact on Motivation and Academic Performance within Higher Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-16, June.
    9. Johanna Andrea Navarro-Espinosa & Manuel Vaquero-Abellán & Alberto-Jesús Perea-Moreno & Gerardo Pedrós-Pérez & Maria del Pilar Martínez-Jiménez & Pilar Aparicio-Martínez, 2022. "Gamification as a Promoting Tool of Motivation for Creating Sustainable Higher Education Institutions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-20, February.
    10. Antonio Torralba-Burrial & Eduardo Dopico, 2023. "Promoting the Sustainability of Artisanal Fishing through Environmental Education with Game-Based Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-15, August.
    11. Aldo Gordillo & Enrique Barra & Sonsoles López-Pernas & Juan Quemada, 2021. "Development of Teacher Digital Competence in the Area of E-Safety through Educational Video Games," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-12, July.
    12. Julius R. Garzon, 2023. "Metacognitive Inquiry via Reflective Tasking Methodology," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(11), pages 1737-1744, November.
    13. David González-Gómez & Jin Su Jeong, 2022. "Approaches and Methods of Science Teaching and Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-8, January.
    14. Silvia Natividad Moral-Sánchez & M.ª Teresa Sánchez-Compaña & Isabel Romero, 2022. "Geometry with a STEM and Gamification Approach: A Didactic Experience in Secondary Education," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(18), pages 1-38, September.
    15. Jose Antonio Prieto-Saborit & David Méndez-Alonso & Ana Fernández-Viciana & Laxmi J. Dixit Dixit & Paloma Nistal-Hernández, 2022. "Implementation of Cooperative Learning and Its Relationship with Prior Training of Teachers, Performance and Equity in Mathematics: A Longitudinal Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Diaconescu Andra, 2024. "Digital Tools in the Educational Environment Empower StudentCollaboration. A Study Case in Higher Education," Research & Education, Weik Press SRL, issue 10, pages 77-102, July.
    17. José Carlos Piñero Charlo & Rocío Noriega Bustelo & María del Carmen Canto López & María Teresa Costado Dios, 2022. "Influence of the Algorithmization Process on the Mathematical Competence: A Case Study of Trainee Teachers Assessing ABN- and CBC-Instructed Schoolchildren by Gamification," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(16), pages 1-21, August.
    18. Miao, Xiaoyu & Niu, Ben & Yang, Congcong & Feng, Yuanyue, 2023. "Examining the gamified effect of the blindbox design: The moderating role of price," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:9:p:7393-:d:1136243. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.