Escaped: Adapting live-action, interactive games to support higher education teaching and learning practices

Abstract

Game-based learning (GBL) is often found to be technically driven and more often than not, serious games for instance, are conceptualised and designed solely for digital platforms and state of the art technologies. To encourage a greater discussion on the potential benefits and challenges of a more holistic approach to developing GBL, that promote human centred interactions and play for learning, the authors present the Game Changers initiative. The Game Changers initiative is discussed and focus is drawn to one of its programmes titled; escapED, for developing non-digital GBL approaches within the context of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics combined with Arts (STEAM) education. EscapED, aids the design and creation of educational Escape Rooms and Interactive Gaming Experiences for staff and students in further/higher education settings. The authors present the escapED theoretical framework as a tool to aid future design and development of on-site interactive experiences, in order to provide engaging alternatives for learning and soft skills development amongst higher education staff and students.