Abstract:

Today, in the context of higher education, game-based learning (GBL) is receiving more and more attention. Game-based learning is commonly associated with a number of advantages in education. GBL is perceived as a method and thinking approach that focuses on the development of engaging experiences for students. The aim of GBL is to involve students in learning activities to improve the interaction between the educator and the student (Kalinauskas, 2018).

The purpose of this paper is to present different case studies that reveal the current status of GBL in education with a focus on the area of higher education in Lithuania. The article presents results of national research carried out within the framework of the Erasmus+ project ‘UNLOCK - Creativity in Higher Education through a game design approach’. The structured interview was used to collect data.

The main questions discussed in the paper are related to:
- The GBL concept and escape room games;
- how educational escape rooms (EERs) are interpreted in the context of Lithuanian Higher Education and disciplinary area;
- What driving forces and barriers are related to the implementation of GBL and EERs;
- what the skills and competencies students develop by using GBL and EERs methodology.

The research results revealed that the availability of GBL and EER in Lithuanian higher education is quite widely accepted within the education area and the greatest emphasis is on information and communication technology and digital games. Additionally, educational escape rooms are still in the early stages of development. The findings indicate that EERs could be developed for both Social Sciences, Arts and Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subject studies.

Keywords:

Game-based learning, educational escape rooms, teacher and student involvement.