Rediscover teaching: Escape rooms promote skills at the university!

Rediscover teaching: Escape rooms promote skills at the university!

With its DiLab Escape, the University of Passau offers teacher training students an innovative learning format that is intended to promote professional and social skills. Designed as an educational escape room, the project uses puzzles to give participants a practical insight into their skills acquisition. Dr. Hannes Birnkammerer, the initiator of the project, explains that the students work in small teams to overcome challenges and receive feedback on their media technology skills. This has been happening for four semesters and has now established itself as a valuable addition to the training. The basic national competence expectations of teacher training students were translated into exciting puzzles and tasks.

The DiLab Escape is a game format that has been continuously improved through accompanying research. Feedback from participating students is consistently positive. A central element of the concept is the conversation after the game, in which the students can reflect on their experiences and assess themselves. In these discussions, theoretical models from the lecture are also included in order to strengthen the connection between practical and theoretical content. Last winter semester, the project reached over 200 students, with feedback particularly pointing to the effectiveness of the format.

Key skills and teamwork

Escape games, such as the DiLab Escape, have established themselves as effective learning tools in other educational institutions beyond the school setting. This is confirmed by an analysis by the Ruhr University Bochum, which examined the potential and challenges of these formats. In addition to specialist knowledge, the escape games also promote social skills such as cooperation, critical thinking and problem-solving training. An example of this is the escape game “Escape Fake,” which helps students expose fake news and strengthen their media skills. Such games not only offer participants playful access to content, but are also geared to the modern requirements of a digitalized society.

However, developing a scientifically based escape room requires a lot of time, creativity and know-how. This process is estimated to take about a year and involve various testing phases. Teachers must set clear didactic goals and select suitable digital tools in order to achieve the greatest possible learning success. Group dynamics play a crucial role; Competition between groups can increase motivation and lead to a more intense learning experience. Feedback from participants like Martina Rüter, who developed an escape game on the subject of copyright, shows that enrichment through visual design and storytelling is also necessary.

Political education and escape games

Escape games are also a promising format in political education. These games can be thematically linked to aspects such as data protection, populism or climate change. Safety measures, such as emergency exits and safety instructions, are essential to creating a safe learning environment. An important component of these games is the follow-up, which allows participants to reflect on their experiences and what they have learned. Examples of escape games in political education are “General Solutions” or “The Lost Manuscript,” in which players have to solve tasks that are closely linked to current social issues.

In summary, it can be said that the DiLab Escape and similar formats not only represent innovative learning methods, but also have the potential to impart relevant skills for the future. The continuous feedback from students and the pedagogical integration of such games are crucial for their success and further development in education.