Solving the Chemistry Puzzle—A Review on the Application of Escape-Room-Style Puzzles in Undergraduate Chemistry Teaching
Active learning techniques are taking the classroom by storm. Numerous research articles have highlighted the benefits of active learning techniques on student understanding, knowledge retention, problem solving, and teamwork. One avenue to introduce active learning into the classroom is the gamific...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/12/1273 |
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| author | Marissa Lorrene Clapson Shauna Schechtel Emma Davy Connor Skye Durfy |
| author_facet | Marissa Lorrene Clapson Shauna Schechtel Emma Davy Connor Skye Durfy |
| author_sort | Marissa Lorrene Clapson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Active learning techniques are taking the classroom by storm. Numerous research articles have highlighted the benefits of active learning techniques on student understanding, knowledge retention, problem solving, and teamwork. One avenue to introduce active learning into the classroom is the gamification of course learning content. Educational escape rooms are one such example in which students solve a series of puzzles related to course content to “escape” within a set time frame. Escape games play an interesting role in motivating students, building communication skills and allowing for multimodal learning, having been shown to increase students’ test results and enjoyment of the course content. In lieu of the traditional escape room format, a fully immersive room(s) with classical escape room puzzles (finding items, riddles, alternative locking mechanisms) is used alongside learning activities, and educators have begun to develop truncated activities for easier applications in larger classrooms. In this review, we explore several escape room activities: immersive, paper-based, Battle Boxes, condensed escape activities, and online/virtual, providing examples of the types of puzzles included therein. We similarly discuss the creation of escape room materials and recommendations for the interested educator, as well as the learning benefits of engaging in puzzle development. Finally, we provide an overview on methods to assess active learning through escape rooms, establishing an overview of empirical evidence towards their effectiveness as a learning tool. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-adfca5caf551460ea34a4c7acbcafd07 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-adfca5caf551460ea34a4c7acbcafd072025-08-20T02:53:25ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022024-11-011412127310.3390/educsci14121273Solving the Chemistry Puzzle—A Review on the Application of Escape-Room-Style Puzzles in Undergraduate Chemistry TeachingMarissa Lorrene Clapson0Shauna Schechtel1Emma Davy2Connor Skye Durfy3Department of Chemistry, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Ave, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry, Queens University, 90 Bader Land, Chernoff Hall, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, CanadaActive learning techniques are taking the classroom by storm. Numerous research articles have highlighted the benefits of active learning techniques on student understanding, knowledge retention, problem solving, and teamwork. One avenue to introduce active learning into the classroom is the gamification of course learning content. Educational escape rooms are one such example in which students solve a series of puzzles related to course content to “escape” within a set time frame. Escape games play an interesting role in motivating students, building communication skills and allowing for multimodal learning, having been shown to increase students’ test results and enjoyment of the course content. In lieu of the traditional escape room format, a fully immersive room(s) with classical escape room puzzles (finding items, riddles, alternative locking mechanisms) is used alongside learning activities, and educators have begun to develop truncated activities for easier applications in larger classrooms. In this review, we explore several escape room activities: immersive, paper-based, Battle Boxes, condensed escape activities, and online/virtual, providing examples of the types of puzzles included therein. We similarly discuss the creation of escape room materials and recommendations for the interested educator, as well as the learning benefits of engaging in puzzle development. Finally, we provide an overview on methods to assess active learning through escape rooms, establishing an overview of empirical evidence towards their effectiveness as a learning tool.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/12/1273gamificationescape roomhumor/puzzles/gamesactive learningchemistry educationundergraduate/general |
| spellingShingle | Marissa Lorrene Clapson Shauna Schechtel Emma Davy Connor Skye Durfy Solving the Chemistry Puzzle—A Review on the Application of Escape-Room-Style Puzzles in Undergraduate Chemistry Teaching Education Sciences gamification escape room humor/puzzles/games active learning chemistry education undergraduate/general |
| title | Solving the Chemistry Puzzle—A Review on the Application of Escape-Room-Style Puzzles in Undergraduate Chemistry Teaching |
| title_full | Solving the Chemistry Puzzle—A Review on the Application of Escape-Room-Style Puzzles in Undergraduate Chemistry Teaching |
| title_fullStr | Solving the Chemistry Puzzle—A Review on the Application of Escape-Room-Style Puzzles in Undergraduate Chemistry Teaching |
| title_full_unstemmed | Solving the Chemistry Puzzle—A Review on the Application of Escape-Room-Style Puzzles in Undergraduate Chemistry Teaching |
| title_short | Solving the Chemistry Puzzle—A Review on the Application of Escape-Room-Style Puzzles in Undergraduate Chemistry Teaching |
| title_sort | solving the chemistry puzzle a review on the application of escape room style puzzles in undergraduate chemistry teaching |
| topic | gamification escape room humor/puzzles/games active learning chemistry education undergraduate/general |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/12/1273 |
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