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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n\u2018Hmm, that\u2019s weird\u2026\u2019 educational expert Emma Bosman says, \u2018he should have been back by now, and the people are waiting.\u2019 \u2018Did you try calling him?\u2019 her colleague Jasper van Winden asks. \u2018Yes, but he won\u2019t answer. I have a strange feeling about this\u2026\u2019 \u2018Well, we have to get started.\u2019 Jasper insists. Emma hesitates \u2018But what if he\u2026\u2019 she sighs, \u2018I guess you\u2019re right\u2026 Let\u2019s get started.\u2019
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One of the ways to draw people in, and engage them, is using a narrative. In the new concept to engage teachers in using educational technology, Bosman and Van Winden also used this kind of narrative to introduce an educational escape room. There is a preconference workshop where they tell all about the educational escape room and where you will start with the design of your own escape room for professionals.
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe escape room was designed by Bosman and Van Winden and their team for the teaching staff at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. In this type of game experience, players need to solve puzzles cast in a specific setting, within a pressing time frame, to be allowed to leave the room in time. \u2018In our escape room teams of university teachers experience tools and technologies they can use in their teaching,\u2019 Van Winden says, \u2018and they are sharing some serious fun.\u2019
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As many institutions, Utrecht University has embraced the idea of incorporating blended learning into their curriculum and is looking for ways to facilitate this cultural change. In 2016 the Utrecht University innovation programme Educate-it had aimed at, and been very successful in, reaching the innovators and early adopters of the faculty population. However to reach the early and late majority, another approach was required. \u2018At Educate-it we work bottom-up; we do not impose teachers to make changes, the teacher comes to us to get help with the things they want to change in their teaching practices,\u2019 Bosman says, \u2018but just \u2018being there\u2019, offering help and providing all the tools needed, does not encourage the early and late majority enough. This group needs to be motivated in other ways for them to take action.\u2019
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How to reach the early and late majority? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Literature suggests that technology adoption is enhanced when people have an experience that is both personal and shared . Hands-on workshops about available ed-tech would suit these requirements well, but why would these early and late majority teachers follow workshops about technology that they are not interested in?
\u2018It would have to be a very attractive experience\u2019 Van Winden says, \u2018and it might help if close colleagues would invite them to join that experience.\u2019 Van Winden smiles: \u2018Then the idea of an escape room came up\u2019.
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Escape rooms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Room escape games started as a physical manifestation of what was known from puzzle video games. The concept, where you need to solve a number of puzzles to \u2018escape\u2019 from the room, quickly spread across the world.
Especially in the Netherlands, the rapid growth of this phenomenon was impressive. In 2013 the first Dutch escape room started in a small town. Nowadays, over 800 escape rooms are in business, with numbers still increasing . <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most of the commercial leisure escape rooms have only one goal: to let players have a fun and exciting experience. However, escape rooms have a lot of elements that are great for making it an learning experience too. For instance, players are put in a challenging new situation that requires immediate action and experimentation. In addition, the shared experience: it is common in escape rooms to help your team members to overcome difficulties. Finally to discuss game events and outcomes afterwards is a regular part of the escape room experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It poses a challenge designing an escape room where players learn something and can reflect on, while having fun at the same time. \u2018We faced a lot of difficulties along the way, but we, as well as the teachers who have played the escape room, are very pleased with the final result,\u2019 Bosman says, \u2018and now we want to share our experience with others.\u2019
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The workshop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
During the pre-conference workshop Bosman and Van Winden will delve into the design challenges and show how they can be dealt with. Also, you will start with the design of your own escape room for professionals. Also, you will have the opportunity to play a leisure escape room before the workshop, so you can experience the thrill for yourselves (sign up for it separately in the registration form).
\u2018He still isn\u2019t here\u2026\u2019 Bosman sighs frustrated. \u2018Well, let\u2019s hope he will be there by the time we start our OEB pre-conference workshop\u2019 Van Winden winks. \u2018Well, that would be about time, don\u2019t you think?!\u2019 Bosman says wittily.
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If you would like to join the Pre-Conference workshop<\/a> on Wednesday, November 27, sign up here<\/a>.
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