Abstract:

Problem-based learning is a widely used methodology in the area of Physiology since it allows the integration of different concepts acquired in this and other subjects. However, sometimes the students acquire a passive attitude because the methodology to carry them out is very similar to the master class. The escape room is a gamification strategy, which has entered education strongly favouring the development of mental ability, creativity and critical thinking from a pleasant and fun environment. Virtual escape room allows to show a greater variety of content during the game (videos, simulations, links, etc.) and to carry out more precise monitoring of the students' progress.

In the subject “Ocular and the Visual System Physiology” in the Degree in Optics and Optometry of the University of Zaragoza with 56 enrolled students a Virtual escape room was carried out in 2019. It was designed with a questionnaire in Moodle that presented all materials (videos, simulations, links, etc.) across several questions. When answering each question, students obtained a digit. A priori they did not know if the digit obtained was correct or not. With these digits, the students formed a code. By entering this code in a digital lock software, they could know if they had solved the clinical case correctly or not and if so, they left the classroom.

After the activity, a survey was answered by 42.85% of the enrolled students (n = 56). In this academic year, two clinical cases had been carried out in a traditional format and a clinical case had been introduced in a "virtual escape room" format but individual, that is, each student used a computer to answer the questions, although they could work in groups to solve them. 100% of the students considered the realization of clinical cases is essential for their training. In the section on the perception of their learning, 85% of the students “totally agree” that their learning had improved by working through this new teaching strategy. The use of Information Communication Technology tools as a game created a more dynamic environment in the classroom, made students more motivated when faced with a problem and went from having a passive attitude to a dynamic attitude in a relaxed environment, improving their perception about their learning process. 90% of the students proposed to continue next year with this strategy.

In 2020, Covid-19 pandemic lockdown drastically changed planned teaching. Trying to catch students beyond being passive in a videoconference, virtual escape rooms were designed in Physiology subjects, but this time students were at home and they communicated with teachers by the main videoconference and with their classmates in other virtual rooms. While the virtual Escape Room was carried out, teachers could monitor the activity in the Moodle questionnaire to help students that did not answer some questions correctly.

Just adding the use of Google Meet to the same technology used previously, virtual escape rooms added an innovative methodology during Covid-19 pandemic lockdown that students enjoyed and recognized its effectiveness against master classes through videoconference.

Keywords:

Virtual Escape Room, Distance Learning in Time of Crisis, Problem-based Learning, e-learning, Technological issues in Education.