What Kind Of Game Are You Playing? A Case Study on Escape Room Games, English Disciplinary Literacy and Motivation and Engagement in High School Students

Abstract

Escape room games are a novel educational intervention with multiple benefits reported in the literature. There is little research that explores the use of this intervention in English. This case study pilots escape room games as a context for students to learn and practice unfamiliar text skills. Specifically, it seeks to determine any increase in English disciplinary literacy, and engagement and motivation at Year 10 following multiple treatments. To test that escape room games can improve disciplinary literacy, engagement and motivation, students were given pre-, mid- and posttests around two game sessions. These tests measured self-efficacy and disciplinary literacy in the form of reading comprehension and analysis. These data were analysed using simple statistical analysis. The results showed modest increases to self-efficacy, and reading comprehension. Persistence, strategy use and affect increased, while help seeking and interest decreased. Two anonymous focus group discussions were held after the posttest by a third party. Thematic analysis was used to make sense of these focus group discussions. The results of this thematic analysis showed students felt that they had learned less in the time given compared to traditional didactic methods, but they felt motivated by the social and collaborative aspects of the escape room games. Using data from the tests and focus groups, results showed that escape room games are a viable learning intervention for English disciplinary literacy as an opportunity to practice existing skills, rather than learn new ones. They also provide students with a rich social and motivational environment. Design considerations are also presented in the light of adapting ERGs for use in English High School classrooms.