Escape rooms as formative knowledge assessment: A quasi-experimental study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Educational Technology
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Escape rooms offer immersive learning experiences in nursing education.
• Their role in formative assessment and knowledge retention requires further investigation.
• This study addresses the gap in understanding escape rooms' impact on nursing students' learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the impact of escape rooms as a formative assessment tool on first-year nursing students' knowledge retention.
• To evaluate nursing students' perceptions of their learning experiences with escape rooms.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design was used with 134 first-year nursing students.
• Four themed escape rooms were implemented as formative assessments.
• Knowledge retention was measured using pre-test, post-test, and retention tests; student perceptions were gathered via questionnaires and open-ended questions.

Main Results:

• Students in the escape room group reported higher levels of accomplishment, guidance, immersion, playfulness, and social experience.
• No statistically significant difference in knowledge retention was found between escape rooms and traditional assessment methods.
• Student feedback indicated positive perceptions regarding entertainment, educational value, and collaboration, alongside logistical considerations.

Conclusions:

• Escape rooms positively influenced nursing students' perception of their learning experience.
• Escape rooms did not demonstrate a significant advantage over traditional assessment methods for knowledge retention.
• Findings align with literature on problem-based learning, suggesting further exploration of escape rooms' pedagogical value is warranted.