Digital Escape Games - A creative tool for imparting knowledge

Digital Escape Games, as their name suggests, are escape games that can be played on a laptop, phone or even tablet. They are usually created on specific platforms such as Genially, a free website that allows you to construct your own escape game from scratch or by using the numerous pre-made templates available to the public.

When it comes to escape games, just as the theme can vary according to your ideas, so can the messages you are trying to communicate to the people who will play them.

How do one convey their practices through escape games?
Escape games are built around puzzles. The type of puzzle you use will influence the message, and the theme can even be used to connect to historical or real-world contexts. Let’s look at some examples:

1 – Learning Green Practices
Imagine you want to teach a group of young people about green practices, in order to explain the consequences of harmful habits that affect the planet. Activities such as drag-and-drop or branching scenarios allow players to make decisions based on their own knowledge and learn whether they were right or if they need to explore the topic further. Mapping and mathematics can also be integrated to help them estimate the impact of climate change in their everyday lives.

2 - Learning about Entrepreneurship and Confidence
Starting a business often sounds scary and complicated. While this can be true, it is possible to introduce learners to key concepts and common pitfalls, helping them build confidence. Through more complex puzzles involving codes, statistics, and security measures, players can learn how to manage a simple budget, create strong passwords using logical patterns, or even understand basic binary through encrypted codes. These activities act as supporting exercises within a broader training experience.

3 - Learning about History and the Future
Escape games can feel like immersive and interactive books when designed effectively. By using strong themes, players can travel to the past and learn how Morse code was first used in telegraphs by applying it themselves in activities. It is also possible to create time-travel scenarios where characters explore current political contexts, using interactive maps to understand conflicts and make decisions as leaders.You can also explore the future, where cipher codes reveal a world shaped by past decisions. In this way, players learn how actions in the past and present influence what is to come, encouraging reflection on past mistakes and how to avoid them.

What to remember
Escape games are primarily designed for entertainment. However, they can also be powerful tools for learning, helping to develop skills, promote best practices, and explore ethical and societal topics. With creativity, escape games can complement larger training courses and provide alternative learning materials for students who prefer more interactive approaches. They can also be particularly useful for people with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), as they allow the use of visuals, clues, and non-linear learning paths to support understanding.