Learning through Challenges and Enigmas: Educational Escape Room as a Predictive Experience of Motivation in University Students

Sara González-Yubero (), Marta Mauri (), María Jesús Cardoso and Raquel Palomera
Additional contact information
Sara González-Yubero: Education Faculty, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Marta Mauri: Education Faculty, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
María Jesús Cardoso: Education Faculty, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Raquel Palomera: Education Faculty, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 17, 1-12

Abstract: (1) Background. One of the most innovative gamification techniques emerging in the current educational context is the escape room, whose implementation aims to promote student motivation and learning. A review of the literature shows that many of the previous works lack a solid theoretical basis when it comes to explaining the motivational effects associated with student participation in this experience. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between gamification and motivation and identify which dimensions of gamification experience—through an educational escape room—better predict students’ motivation, based on the framework of self-determination theory. (2) Methods. This research develops a quantitative and correlational methodology. A total of 135 first-year university students participated. (3) Results. The results of the regression models showed that creative thinking, activation, and dominance predicted intrinsic motivation toward knowledge, achievement, and stimulating experiences. Likewise, a higher level of negative affect was predictive of amotivation and external regulation motivation in students. (4) Conclusions. These findings provide new empirical evidence that could guide the design of educational experiences through escape rooms in the context of higher education.

Keywords: gamification; educational escape room; motivation; learning; higher education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/13001/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/13001/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:17:p:13001-:d:1227795

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().