Abstract
It shows an investigation of an innovative educational strategy through the implementation of a escape room and a gamified visit to a local museum to explore the history of local art and learn about its artists and the corresponding artistic movement. The study focuses on the application of this methodology in the Master's degree in teacher training. The main objective is to awaken students' curiosity and motivation, while providing a different and playful approach to address theoretical concepts. The results obtained when evaluating the surveys conducted both pre- and post-experience revealed a highly positive reception that expressed a high level of satisfaction and motivation, highlighting the significant impact on their understanding and appreciation of local art along with a remarkable development of their critical and analytical thinking. This study evidences the relevance and potential of gamification in the educational field, especially in art learning and the promotion of local culture.
TopIntroduction
In the 21st century, today's schools face significant problems in terms of student motivation and engagement (Lee et al., 2011), with a growing interest in more innovative educational approaches and increased adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the school environment the use of innovative methodologies contributes positively to stimulate student interest and promote the development of competencies (Fernandez et al., 2016), therefore, one of the alternatives that gains strength lately is gamification, a methodology that has established itself as an innovative and effective tool for learning.
As expressed by Werbach and Hunter (2012), the concept of gamification is based on the use of game design elements and techniques in non-game contexts. It is grounded in the triumph of the video game industry, the impact of social networks, and decades of research in human psychology. In essence, gamification can be applied to virtually any task, assigned task, process, or theoretical context.(Flores, J., 2015).
The components of gamification are detailed in the study by Sailer et al., (2013), where they describe gamification as an entity that typically involves key situational components: a goal to be achieved, rules that establish how that goal can be achieved, a feedback system that provides information about progress toward the goal, and the characteristic that participation is voluntary.
This strategy of transferring elements of games to the educational environment, with the aim of improving student motivation, increasing their commitment, as well as enhancing their learning, is much more powerful compared to other tools or methodologies, since the game is an element close to the students and therefore they recognize the rules and components of the game much more easily. This technique takes advantage of the natural predisposition of human beings for play and competition, by incorporating game elements in non-playful environments, seeking to recreate the atmosphere of “fun” offered by digital games (Deterding et al., 2011).
With this methodology, which allows educators to more effectively engage and motivate students (Weitl-Harms et al., 2023), a crucial component is brought to education by transforming students' attitudes towards learning, using fun as a tool for change (Alsawaier, 2018). Previous studies have shown that it not only has a great reception in primary or secondary education, but also in higher education levels, as shown by Ahmad (2020), with very effective results when using gamification as a tool to teach complex concepts.
One of the great benefits is the creation of complete learning experiences that are generated by applying gamification, motivated by the introduction of elements such as rewards, points, levels and challenges that stimulate healthy competition and self-improvement.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Curiosity: Internal impulse that awakens the students' interest to explore, know, investigate and therefore learn through an active search.
Escape Room: Immersive game experience where participants must solve tests, riddles and puzzles to achieve a goal, usually to get out of a set of rooms or rooms set. One of the main objectives is to encourage teamwork and problem solving.
Wilcoxon Analysis: A nonparametric statistical method that compares two related samples to determine if there are significant differences between them.
Constructivism: Educational approach that emphasizes the active participation of students in the construction of their knowledge through interaction with their environment and the assimilation of experiences.
Gamification: Pedagogical methodology that integrates game mechanics and elements in order to increase motivation and participation by involving students in the learning process.
Active Methodologies: In education, teaching strategies that promote participation and actively involve the student, encouraging experimentation, problem solving and skill development.
Local Heritage: Set of tangible and intangible assets that are unique to an area and therefore represent its cultural identity.