Imagine being locked in a room.

You have no idea where you are, other than in a room containing the clues you need to escape. All you have are your wits and the friends who have joined you on this adventure. Escape rooms offer mental and physical stimulation. They immerse “captives” in a hands-on experience that requires problem-solving based on the clues, riddles, and other hints.

What if you could create the same adventure for your students? You can, with a digital escape room.

No more boring worksheets

A well-designed digital escape room will advance student learning in several ways.

Good instruction requires getting students to think critically. They must use analysis, evaluation, and synthesis skills to prove they are mastering the content you teach. Digital escape rooms force students to use these skills in collaboration with their teammates as they search for clues, solve problems and work through solutions.

Are your students kinesthetic learners? The digital escape room will get your students up and moving. You can also design your room to include visual and auditory clues for learners who need to see or hear the content.

Digital escapes are excellent tools for teaching students the value of communicating and collaborating with others – a life skill needed long after their formal education is over.

Designing your breakout room can be as simple as selecting a topic and

creating a variety of clues, like these:

• faux letters, messages and realia
• recording audio clips
• designing rebus or number clues, and
• writing riddles

You’ll still have to create the digital environment and set the locks for your room. The good news is that you don’t need a background in computer programming to do it. All you need is an hour or so, and a digital template, like the one provided at BreakoutEDU. This site makes design tools available to teachers who want to develop digital escape rooms for their classes.

The company provides tips and tutorials, and you’ll soon have a digital breakout room ready to engage even your most reluctant learners. Use the BreakoutEDU templates and tools, and you might get your room published with the community at large.

Get your students involved

Creating a digital escape room can take up valuable time. You don’t have to do all the work yourself. Of course, you could purchase a pre-made room from any of several sites, but why not get your students involved?

Most older students like the challenge of creating an escape room that others can enjoy. Have your students share what they’ve learned by creating digital breakout rooms for the books they’ve read or presentations they created.

Gamification has become an integral part of the learning environment, and most students want a chance to show their knowledge when they play. Games and puzzles make learning fun and memorable. The digital escape room takes skill and gaming to the next level.

Besides, your students will think you’re cool if you’re one of the teachers who took the time to develop a digital escape room just for them.