Innovative learning environments are a point of pride for Indiana University School of Nursing, so when the pandemic hit in March 2020, it's no surprise IUSON faculty members rose to the challenge of engaging students through distance learning.
For lecturer Betsy Holtel, that meant checking in with a global community of educators on Facebook.
"Ideas were flying," says Holtel. One, in particular, caught her attention. "Someone posted that they made a virtual escape room using Google Forms."
Holtel had assisted IUSON lecturer Marian Gilhooly with an in-person escape room for learning in 2019. Holtel had a hunch the activity would go over just as well online.
When classes resumed virtually, she was ready with her first virtual escape room that students could access from their devices.
"Our first one was about diabetes," says Holtel. "It was our very first session after the initial two-week lockdown."
Holtel immediately saw value in the activity. Escape rooms require players to use critical thinking skills and teamwork to accomplish tasks and achieve their end goal. Virtual escape rooms function much the same way.
Students must answer a series of questions correctly to "escape" to the next "room" or set of questions. The clues all relate to the material the students are learning.
"You can't get into the next room until you get them all right, and you don't know which you didn't get right," she says. "I think it really helps solidify particular topics. They're not just answering a question and moving on."
I think it really helps solidify particular topics. They're not just answering a question and moving on."
When IUSON returned to in-person instruction, Holtel brought her escape rooms into the classroom.
"I created a QR code, split the students into groups and had small prizes for those who finished first."
She says it's clear the benefits go beyond a little friendly competition.
"It helps with the teamwork and collaboration skills that we want them to have," says Holtel. "By collaborating with their peers, they're hearing different thought processes and different rationales, so it's helping them to learn."