Evaluating the Effectiveness of Educational Escape Rooms at Increasing Student Engagement in Tutorials

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of ‘economics escape rooms’ (EERs) in enhancing student engagement in first-year economics tutorials, within the broader context of post-pandemic challenges in higher education. Student disengagement, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis and increasing pressure to deliver employability skills, have created a need for innovative, resource-efficient teaching strategies. In response, the compulsory first-year economics course C27EC at Heriot Watt University was redesigned for the 2023–24 academic year to promote active learning, with EERs introduced in tutorials one and four. Grounded in the literature on gamification and creativity in education, EERs were designed as collaborative, business-themed activities aimed at fostering engagement, peer interaction and skills development.

The study employs the Experience Pyramid model as a framework to assess perceived engagement and skill acquisition, drawing on mixed methods data from surveys and interviews. Survey data revealed strong agreement that the EERs were enjoyable, interactive and fostered high levels of concentration and collaboration. Students also reported increased confidence, motivation and a sense of belonging, with many describing the EERs as memorable and impactful experiences. Interview data from both students and tutors reinforced the quantitative findings. Students highlighted the EERs’ interactive nature, competitive dynamics and group-based design as key drivers of engagement. Tutors observed improved motivation, collaboration and participation, particularly in smaller groups. Challenges were noted around group formation, activity difficulty and managing larger class sizes, suggesting areas for refinement.

This study contributes to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning by demonstrating that EERs are an effective, scalable gamification strategy for increasing engagement in higher education. It positions creative pedagogical approaches as strategic responses to sectorwide challenges in engagement, retention and employability. The findings support the continued integration of EERs and similar innovations into curricula, especially in large, diverse courses where traditional methods may fall short. Overall, the research underscores the potential of EERs to foster a more engaging, inclusive and skill-enriching learning environment.