THE ANU ESCAPE ROOM HUB: enabling meaningful and authentic learning through engaged experience

The Escape Room Hub at ANU serves as a central repository for developing and teaching interdisciplinary Escape Room experiences. It supports creation across campus for various disciplines, fostering collaboration and innovation. Our goal is to centralize and enhance the university’s capacity for innovative teaching and learning.

Framework

This pedagogical framework discusses the affordances and limitations of the Escape Room experience and assists implementation that maximises active and engaged learning and ensures alignment with curriculum and learning outcomes.

Technical Outputs

Software

Software with a responsive design, user-friendly interface, and an administrative panel for customizing the escape room theme, riddles, and puzzles. The software logs information about the game and user interactions for further analysis. This software and user interface allow for widespread adoption and cross-collaboration across the ANU and beyond.

WHAT IS AN EDUCATIONAL ESCAPEROOM?

An educational escape room (EER) is an immersive experience that combines the excitement of an escape room with the learning objectives of an educational setting. It is a game-based learning activity that challenges students to work together to solve a series of puzzles to escape from a themed room or scenario.

HOW TO CREATE AN EDUCATIONAL ESCAPEROOM IN A FEW STEPS?

Benefits of using escape rooms?

Critical thinking and problem-solving skills

EERs can require students to think creatively and strategically to solve puzzles and clues.

Increased engagement and motivation

EERs provide students with a sense of urgency and excitement that can motivate them to work hard and persevere.

Understanding of concepts and content

EERs may provide students with a deeper understanding of key concepts and content.

Enhanced teamwork and collaboration

EERs require students to work together effectively to achieve a common goal.

MEET OUR TEAM

In-kind contributions are evenly divided between the members of the project in the activities described led by them.

Dr Bernardo Pereira Nunes
Project Leader

Bernardo is a dedicated educator with a passion for making computer science come alive through immersive and engaging methods. He combines project-based learning, student-centred approaches, and game-based techniques to create dynamic learning experiences. His research focuses on the intersections of Web Science, Computer Science Education, and the Semantic Web, exploring their societal implications. With over 130 co-authored papers, he’s actively contributing to advancing these fields.

Miss Guddu KaurLead on Guideline Development and Community of Practice

Guddu is a field epidemiologist with extensive experience in emergency response, disease elimination programs, novel surveillance systems and development of early warning systems across Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, Central and South America and Australia. She has received awards and has published her work in national and international journals. Passionate about evidence-based approaches, she leads the development and implementation of escape room in her field and is interested in driving heutagogical approaches.

Ms April ChanEducational Designer, , Centre for Learning and Teaching

April has collaborated with educators and has supported learning and teaching at ANU through various projects, specifically focusing on digital learning, curriculum, and assessment design, that enhance academic experience. With a high school teacher background, she is experienced teaching across diverse settings, from secondary schools to university prep and vocational training.

Dr Amy Elizabeth ParryProject support

Amy is an international applied epidemiologist with experience in both acute and protracted humanitarian response settings. She is a graduate of the Australian field epidemiology training programme (FETP) and has worked on surveillance, response, and FETP support across Asia. Her current research and work focus is on strengthening and supporting applied epidemiology workforce through applied immersion teaching methods.

Dr Thiago Nascimento da SilvaProject Assistant

Thiago is a Lecturer at the School of Politics & International Relations and Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Federalism at the ANU. His research focuses on comparative politics and quantitative methods, integrating theoretical models and data analysis to improve scientific explanations in social sciences. Publishing in top-tier academic journals and university presses. He has experience teaching comparative politics, quantitative methodologies, game theory, and programming in R.

Ms Sue SharpeSenior Educational Designer, , Centre for Learning and Teaching

Sue is an Education Designer with close to 15 years’ experience in tertiary education, working and managing in both professional and teaching-focused academic roles. She has extensive experience designing, delivering and adapting curriculum for students with non-traditional pathways to study. Her special interests are assessment, accessibility and inclusivity. Sue passionately believes that higher education is for everyone.

Bruna Contro Pretero (she/her)Learning Designer

Bruna is a queer disabled woman that has devoted her life to making a positive impact on society. She is an active educational, disability and gender equity advocate. Through Universal Design for Learning, Digital Accessibility, Care and Trauma-Informed pedagogies lenses, she strives to create educational experiences that embrace and welcome student diversity. As a lifelong learner, Bruna firmly believes that education has the power to transform people and enable them to drive positive change in society.

MComp Rosa Soto RuidiasWeb Developer

Rosa is a dynamic and detail-oriented professional with a strong background in project management, data analysis, organisation and methods analysis, and technical IT support. focusing on driving quality initiatives and continuous improvement in the education sector. Rosa has played key roles in diverse projects by defining processes, implementing quality management systems, developing IT solutions, and providing strategic guidance.

CONTACT ESCAPEROOM HUB TODAY

Fill out the form below for any inquiries. Let us assist you in uncovering your educational escape room experience.