Eurogame escape room of physics in veterinary education: a pilot study

Abstract Physics education of students in disciplines in which physics is a minor subject faces various challenges such as the frequent students’ perception as difficult and abstract, and the often limited intrinsic motivation and engagement of minor-subject students. Gamification and game-based learning methods, such as educational escape rooms, are discussed as potential solution approaches. We present the concept of an educational escape room for the physics education of minor-subject students. The concept was developed as a hybrid between a classical educational escape room with sequential physics puzzles and the motivational elements of modern European board games (Eurogames). For example, this includes a corresponding victory point system and optional puzzles (called Eurogame puzzles) to provide individual paths for players. In the context of a first pilot study, the concept was designed for and evaluated with students of veterinary medicine and aims to increase both engagement and knowledge retention. An advantage is the flexibility of choosing from a broad range of optional puzzles to fascinate and motivate students, taking into account individual preferences and improving educational escape rooms by decision-making skills. We have addressed the two questions of (i) the acceptance of the concept by the students and (ii) the increase in knowledge of the students. To answer (i), the students anonymously completed a feedback questionnaire to communicate their personal opinion of the elements of the concept. To answer (ii), an approach of 12 physics questions was chosen by testing puzzle-associated factual knowledge, neglecting possible beneficial increases in experimental skills or reduction in physics anxiety for the present, through a pre- and posttest. Both, (i) and (ii), could be answered positively. The concept was successfully and gratefully accepted by the students, while the learning gain was measurable.