Learning through Challenges and Enigmas: Educational Escape Room as a Predictive Experience of Motivation in University Students

Abstract

(1) Background. One of the most innovative gamification techniques emerging in the current educational context is the escape room, whose implementation aims to promote student motivation and learning. A review of the literature shows that many of the previous works lack a solid theoretical basis when it comes to explaining the motivational effects associated with student participation in this experience. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between gamification and motivation and identify which dimensions of gamification experience—through an educational escape room—better predict students’ motivation, based on the framework of self-determination theory. (2) Methods. This research develops a quantitative and correlational methodology. A total of 135 first-year university students participated. (3) Results. The results of the regression models showed that creative thinking, activation, and dominance predicted intrinsic motivation toward knowledge, achievement, and stimulating experiences. Likewise, a higher level of negative affect was predictive of amotivation and external regulation motivation in students. (4) Conclusions. These findings provide new empirical evidence that could guide the design of educational experiences through escape rooms in the context of higher education.

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

“…A previous study show that the implementation of educational Escape Room in the Higher Education environment, makes students have to work collaboratively, testing creativity and critical thinking in solving challenges in a limited time (Fotaris and Mastoras, 2019). The results of some research with university students show positive values in enjoyment/fun, degree of absorption, creative thinking, sense of mastery and student activation toward learning (Anguas-Gracia et al, 2021;Navarro-Mateos and Pérez-López, 2022;González-Yubero et al, 2023). On the other hand, it is worth highlighting that some studies confirm the experience of negative affect or unpleasant emotions during the Escape Room game in university students (Soler et al, 2020;Anguas-Gracia et al, 2021;González-Yubero et al, 2023).…”

“…Educational Escape Rooms can be defined as live action games based on teamwork in which participants discover clues, solve puzzles and perform tasks in one or more rooms to achieve a specific goal (usually escape from the room) in a limited time (Nicholson, 2018). Currently, the educational Escape Room is a booming resource because they increase student motivation toward learning (González-Yubero et al, 2023) and the development of inter-and intrapersonal competencies that can be enhanced through game design (Villalustre and Moral, 2015;Veldkamp et al, 2020). In order to implement an Escape Room, it is necessary to clearly establish the didactic objectives and specific competencies that are to be enhanced through the game (Rodríguez and Santiago, 2015).…”

“…However, as in the rest of the games, the enigma in isolation has no function, so it is necessary to create mechanisms and narratives that give coherence to the game and connect the different ludic elements (Negre and Carrión, 2020). Although Escape Rooms in physical environments offer more opportunities to collaborate than virtual environments (Ang and Liew, 2020), in both cases there are benefits for learning (Morrell and Ball, 2019) and improvements in academic motivation (González-Yubero et al, 2023) and performance of university students (Brady and Andersen, 2021). In the context of Higher Education, educational Escape Rooms are becoming an innovative methodological tool applied to various branches of knowledge, since proposals have been implemented in Health Sciences (Nybo et al, 2020), Engineering (De la Flor et al, 2020, or Education (García-Tudela et al, 2020) degrees, among others.…”

“…The results of some research with university students show positive values in enjoyment/fun, degree of absorption, creative thinking, sense of mastery and student activation toward learning (Anguas-Gracia et al, 2021;Navarro-Mateos and Pérez-López, 2022;González-Yubero et al, 2023). On the other hand, it is worth highlighting that some studies confirm the experience of negative affect or unpleasant emotions during the Escape Room game in university students (Soler et al, 2020;Anguas-Gracia et al, 2021;González-Yubero et al, 2023). Since there are very few studies that provide information in this line and different instruments and data collection techniques have been used, we consider it interesting to learn more about whether this methodological strategy could enhance the dimensions mentioned above (fun, absorption, creative thinking, activation and the feeling of mastery during the game), while reporting a high level of negative affect in students (annoyance, hostility, frustration and stress).…”

“…Today's educational scenario requires modifying traditional teaching methods and implementing methodologies adapted to the interests and needs of students (Anane, 2022;Li et al, 2023). One of the greatest challenges emerging in the university classroom stems from the need to implement innovative procedures through gamification that promote motivation for learning (González-Yubero et al, 2023). In this line, the evidence obtained in the field of neuroscience in relation to the importance of emotions in learning highlights the need for students to find the greatest possible support from the educational community in their emotional and social development process through resources whose main pillar is the stimulation of motivation (Prieto Andreu, 2020).…”