ABSTRACT
This essay reviews the literature relating to the characteristics and learning outcomes of educational escape rooms (EsRms), in general, and presents the work of a research and development group devoted to the design, implementation, and research of chemistry escape rooms (ChEsRms), in particular. The administrative and pedagogical dimensions of recreational, informal, and formal EsRms are compared. A consensus emerges from the literature that educational EsRms are highly appealing to both students and teachers. The different learning outcomes can be classified in terms of affective outcomes, general skills, and content-specific knowledge and skills. The essay presents the research and development of six ChEsRms for different topics in the high-school chemistry curriculum, in three variations – mobile, do-it-yourself, and virtual – and discusses several design challenges, such as balancing the tension between maintaining a game-like atmosphere of informal learning while facilitating student learning. Research findings on student and teacher outcomes relating to the ChEsRms are summarized, leading to a four-stage implementation model that may contribute to teachers' willingness to invest their time and effort in these environments that bridge between formal and informal science learning.
