🎮 What would you think if learning were transformed into a thrilling mission and practising English became a journey through different cultures? If students weren’t simply answering questions, but solving puzzles, decoding messages, and working together to crack a mystery? And all of this in our school’s computer lab?
That is exactly what students from Years 5 and 6 experienced through a digital educational escape room — an innovative experience that combines knowledge with play! The students dedicated eight afternoons, after the end of the school day, to learning through play!
🧩 What is a digital educational escape room?
It is an experiential activity in which students are challenged, within a set time limit, to solve a series of puzzles and challenges. Each correct answer brings them closer to the final goal: “escape”! But this isn’t simply about play. Every puzzle is designed to draw on knowledge, skills, and creative thinking.
🕵️♂️ The Case of the Missing Journals
The digital educational escape room was in the English language and was titled “The Case of Fogg’s Missing Journals”, inspired by Jules Verne’s literary work Around the World in Eighty Days. After Phileas Fogg’s return from his journey to London, his six journals were stolen by his rival, Sir Alistair Blackwood. The students are called upon by Scotland Yard’s Inspector Penrose to follow the digital clues left behind by Sir Blackwood in order to locate the 6 journals. The journals must be found, as they contain proof that Phileas Fogg did indeed complete his journey. If successful, the students’/detectives’ names will be added alongside Fogg’s at the Reform Club in London. If they fail, Fogg will be unable to prove he made the journey, he will lose his reputation, Sir Blackwood will have defeated them, the students/detectives will lose their good standing in the world of the game, and will never be assigned a mission again.
🚀 What did our students do?
The students took on the role of detectives, split into teams, and entered a world full of mystery! They tackled 7 missions, set in different countries and cultures. During the missions, students had to:
- Read texts and watch videos in English
- Solve puzzles in English
- Collaborate effectively
- Communicate and exchange ideas
- Solve problems using critical thinking
- Draw on knowledge from different subjects
- Manage their time
Every element of the activity was a piece of something far more important… the value that TIME holds in our lives! “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us” (J.R.R. Tolkien).
The students’ mission was crowned with complete success!!!
