Abstract:

Experiential escape rooms can be integrated into education as effective tools that skillfully combine learning with entertainment. This paper presents the comprehensive design and successful implementation of an educational escape room specifically focused on environmental issues, crucially leveraging modern information technology (IT). The entire project was developed within the structured framework of an out-of-school STEM group operating in an evening junior high school (Gymnasium). The technological design utilized S2 programming kits coupled with Micro:bit boards to develop a series of interactive, environment-related puzzles. Furthermore, tools based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) were employed for video creation, alongside the integration of digital quizzes. The core puzzles concentrated on critical environmental issues such as proper waste management, responsible water consumption, and sustainable energy production. This hands-on approach allowed students to engage directly with both technical tools and essential ecological concepts. The project culminated in a presentation at the end of the school year, where groups of students actively participated as players. Observation and feedback gathered from both the student development team and the student players indicated high levels of interest, engagement, and effective cooperation throughout the activity. Students readily collaborated, even across heterogeneous groups, to successfully solve the complex challenges. The game successfully encouraged all participants to critically reflect on the future of the planet and environmental sustainability. Crucially, the results suggest that active involvement in the initial design and implementation phase, in contrast to merely playing the game, led to a significantly deeper understanding and a more meaningful, lasting impact on the students' knowledge and attitudes towards complex environmental issues. The study ultimately concludes that integrating coding and IT into the design and execution of environmental education escape rooms not only fosters essential problem-solving skills and promotes effective collaboration but also facilitates a meaningful and sustained engagement with complex ecological concepts. This methodology offers a promising, robust model for successfully transforming passive, traditional learning into active, technology-enhanced environmental stewardship.

Keywords:

Educational escape room, environmental education, STEM, micro:bit.