Gamification for analytical chemistry: a digital escape room

Abstract

In this work, a digital escape room developed in Genially was applied as a gamified didactic strategy, with the purpose of activating metacognition of theoretical and methodological knowledge built in analytical chemistry subjects, and which are necessary for the construction of knowledge of method validation analytical. The escape room was named The Time Machine and consists of five periods of the past, each one with different items on the corresponding theme: I. Laboratory material, II. Good laboratory practices, III. Analytical techniques, IV. Analytical Chemistry, V. Calibration curves. To advance in each era, all the questions in each section must be answered correctly to finally obtain one of the digits that make up the secret key to unlock the Future. The activity was evaluated by the students through a mixed survey (Likert type and open questions). Most of the students indicated that the activity allowed them to remember what they knew or had seen in previous courses, that is, if they activated their metacognition, which is confirmed by the fact that all the students managed to obtain the key to unlock the Future, and they did it in a fun way. Human beings are intrinsically motivated when we are interested, curious and find a certain taste in learning, so the escape room was a learning strategy that favors motivation and promotes a greater commitment of students to learning in this way, it seeks to the use of content, directly involving the participation of students.