Development of skills through a math escape room
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34624/id.v17i1.40285Keywords:
competencies, educational escape room, game, Mathematics, problem solvingAbstract
Today’s students, in addition to acquiring knowledge, must be able to develop other skills, such as critical and creative thinking, problem-solving ability, cooperation, communication in different contexts, autonomy, self-regulation and empathy. In this context, a physical escape room with an original design was created with the objective, not only of developing the aforementioned skills, but also of consolidating, assessing and even introducing new mathematical content, depending on the participants’ grade level. The five challenges of this escape room and its implementation in two phases, in a study room setting and within the scope of the Summer Academy of the University of Aveiro, are briefly described. In this educational approach, participants are immersed in an engaging narrative that creates a state of flow, while solving the math puzzles and deciphering the codes that allow to move on to the next challenge. After the experience, participants answered a questionnaire, using the SurveyMonkey tool. The results are presented and discussed. The importance of careful planning for this type of activity is also highlighted to ensure the success of the experience and its effectiveness as a pedagogical tool.
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