Abstract:

STEM serves as an acronym for Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics, but also bridges the above disciplines together. Due to declining interest of students towards science, the motivation of students for STEM becomes important. This research aims to get students motivated in studying STEM subjects, by co-creation of an “escape room”. Escape rooms have become a trend during the past few years. These are rooms with closed doors, locked drawers, riddles and puzzles that make participants solve them in order to finally get out of the room. They are becoming really popular for people in a wide range of age. Therefore, this research is trying to take advantage of this trend by co-creation of an escape room by students themselves. The students that take part in this research are 16 year olds and they attend the first class of the Greek lyceum. They have to design a fully-working scenario (story) for the escape room that is interesting to play. Students had to do research in finding the appropriate and meaningful riddles, puzzles and quizzes which are related to everyday life and then design and engineer the operations for unlocking drawers and doors. The hypothesis in this work is that students’ engagement with co-creation of an “escape room” will help them discover the “real” science hidden behind these games, realize what they learn in these STEM informal classes and thus enhancing their motivation. The positive change in their motivational attitudes towards STEM will be reported.

Keywords:

STEM, educational escape room, co-creation.