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Unlocking Learning:

Building Digital Escape Rooms for Any Course

Beth Reardon, Nic Braegger

February 13 – UGA Active Learning Summit 2026

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Access to presentation documents

https://tinyurl.com/escape-uga

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Your Presenters

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Nicolas Braegger��Educational Program Coordinator�Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE)

Beth Reardon, MS��Instructional Technologist, CAFE�Adjunct Faculty – Technical Communication

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Agenda

What are Digital Escape Rooms?
Why do they Work?
What Makes a Good Escape Room?
Where can Digital Escape Rooms be used?
Walk Through Digital Escape Room Creation
Work Time

Missouri University of Science and Technology

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Security Code Needed!!

Missouri University of Science and Technology

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Password Escape Room - Story

tinyurl.com/uga-escape

Missouri University of Science and Technology

I lost the password to the drive where my Escape Room presentation is stored. It is a four-digit code.

Security gave me four hints/questions that will supply me with the code. Simple, right?

NO

All the questions have to do with UGA! I'm from the middle of Missouri!

Please help me find my code so we can continue with the workshop.

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What are digital escape rooms?

An Active Learning approach that incorporates game-based learning
Can be Physical or Digital – free or for cost
Participants follow a narrative-base challenge

Use puzzles, tasks, and a possible time-limit

Can be informal (community building) or formal (content-based)

Missouri University of Science and Technology

A digital escape room is an interactive, game-based learning tool where students work to solve subject-related puzzles to achieve learning objectives.

Key aspects of digital escape rooms in higher education include:

Active Learning & Engagement: They transform passive learning into an active, gamified experience, increasing student motivation and involvement.

Pedagogical Purpose: They are not just for fun; they are mapped to curriculum learning goals, allowing instructors to test knowledge, foster critical thinking, and improve problem-solving skills.

Structure & Technology: They typically use a thematic,, immersive scenario (e.g., escaping a virtual lab, solving a historical mystery) built on platforms like Google Sites, Google Forms, or LMS.

Collaboration & Skills: They promote teamwork and communication, often requiring students to work in groups within virtual breakout rooms.

Versatility: They are used for, , orientations,, , , and as interactive reviews.

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Why do they work?

Focus attention on one skill at a time
Reduce cognitive overload for students
Allow for immediate practice
Fit naturally into existing class time
Make skill instruction intentional
Engage different types of students

Missouri University of Science and Technology

“Engagement is the key to learning. When students actively participate and pursue knowledge, they are preparing for life…”

-Tom Dewing, Silver Strong and Associates

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What Makes a Good Escape Room?

It has a plan and a defined learning goal(s)
It tells a story!
Visuals: images, videos, audio
Synchronous are better than asynchronous
Pilot and test
Encourage students to search for information

Missouri University of Science and Technology

A good escape room offers a fully immersive, thematic experience with high-quality set design, logical and varied puzzles, and a compelling storyline that promotes teamwork.

The best rooms blend physical, mental, and high-tech puzzles, providing a challenging yet enjoyable, memorable, and smooth flow, while ensuring hints are integrated organically into the experience.

Here are the key elements that make a good escape room:

Immersive Atmosphere and Storytelling: The design, props, and lighting should transport players into another world. Effective use of sound effects, music, and sometimes even scents can significantly enhance the realism of the theme.

Logical and Varied Puzzles: A good mix of puzzles—including logic, observation, and decoding—caters to different skill sets and keeps all players engaged. Puzzles should be challenging but solvable, ensuring a sense of accomplishment rather than frustration.

Smooth Flow and Interconnectedness: Clues should be interconnected, creating a cohesive, linear, or non-linear experience where everything feels part of a larger story.

High-Quality Set Design and Technology: The environment should feel real and tangible, using props and, where appropriate, electronic gadgets or special effects to create surprises.

Effective Game Mastering and Hints: Game masters should be able to read the room's personality and provide tailored, timely hints that don't disrupt the flow of the game.

Collaboration and Teamwork: The game should be designed to require teamwork, where participants must combine their talents to succeed.

This video provides a step-by-step guide to designing your first escape room:

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Creating an Escape Room?

Define Learning Goal
Choose Format
Create Narrative
Determine Time & Difficulty
Map the Puzzle Flow

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Design Puzzles
Build & Plan Hints & Instructions
Test – Revise – Test
Debrief After

Design Workflow – Yes, this takes time!

Learning Goals

What is it that we are trying to achieve? Are we testing an already learned concept? Encourage explorations of a new or already presented topic? Adding an element of fun, relaxation, or team building?

Chose a Format

What tool are you planning on using? Escape Rooms can be physical, digital, or a combination. They can be combined with other digital aspects – external to the main location

Create a Narrative

Escape rooms allow you to spread your creative wings. They should have a storyline. You can create the story yourself, or use a GAI to help you.

Determine Time and Difficulty

How much time do you expect the student to invest in the completion of the escape room? Is this causal or is it intended to challenge the students? Is this formative or summative? Is it for a grade?

Map the Puzzle Flow

How does one puzzle work with another. I like to use a flow chart or process chart to help define the path. You can also use a story board or an outline.

Design Puzzles

What puzzles or mix of puzzle should you use to benefit the students?

Build Hints and Instructions

A couple of goals for an escape room are to 1) empower the students in self-learning and self-explorations and 2) Allow the instructor to be an observer and facilitator instead of the main source of information and guidance.

Test – Test – Test

To create smooth experience and to make sure the escape room meets the learning objectives and actually works. Test, revise, and test again. Get someone you trust (and maybe someone you don’t) to test the escape room.

Debrief After

Have discussions with your students about their experience. Gathering this data give you instant feedback. It allows you to make alterations to improve the escape room experience.

Escape rooms, just like any course materials take time to create and perfect. REMEMBER – this is content you can re-use.

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Types of Puzzles

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Cipher Texts & Codes
Logic & Deduction Puzzles
Digital Hidden Object/Scavenger Hunts
Rebus Puzzles
Jigsaw Puzzles (Virtual)
Math & Pattern Recognition
Multimedia Clues
Spot the Difference
Directional Locks
Maze Problem

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Where Can They Be Used?

In-class or Online

Check understanding
Build community
Encourage Exploration and Self-Learning
Physical or Digital or a Combination

Missouri University of Science and Technology

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Tools We've Explored

Google Forms

Free Tool
Multi-modal
Data Validation
Branching Logic

Missouri University of Science and Technology

LMS (Canvas)

Module Based Logic
Mastery Paths (if available)
Variety of Question Types
One Location for Students

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Work Time

Guided Creation
Work Time

Resources
Toolkit

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Access to presentation documents

https://tinyurl.com/escape-uga

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Unlocking Learning:

Building Digital Escape Rooms for Any Course

�Beth Reardon, Nic Braegger

February 12 – UGA Active Learning Summit 2026

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Access to presentation documents

https://tinyurl.com/escape-uga

Thank You – Questions?