Digital Escape Rooms in Spatial and Genially: An Intervention to Enhance Academic Engagement among Engineering Students Escape rooms digitales en Spatial y Genially: una intervención para mejorar el engagement académico en estudiantes de ingeniería Academic Article in Scopus uri icon

abstract

  • Introduction: Introduction. This study examines the impact of digital escape rooms, implemented through the Spatial and Genially platforms, on academic engagement among undergraduate engineering students. Grounded in active learning methodologies, the intervention aimed to foster more immersive, collaborative, and meaningful educational experiences. Method: A total of 46 engineering students from a private university in Mexico participated in the study. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. During the quantitative phase, a validated academic engagement questionnaire was administered before and after the intervention. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 students selected through convenience sampling to gain deeper insights into their experiences. Results: Quantitative findings indicated an overall increase in engagement scores, with a statistically significant improvement in the vigor dimension (Z =-2.215, p = .027). Although increases were also observed in the absorption and dedication dimensions, these were not statistically significant. Qualitative data supported these results, revealing high levels of involvement, meaningful learning experiences, and effective peer collaboration. Discussion: The findings suggest that digital escape rooms, when integrated into immersive learning environments, can enhance academic engagement by promoting student motivation, concentration, and active participation, particularly in engineering education contexts. © 2025, GTE-Educational Technology Group, University of the Balearic Islands. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • December 1, 2025

published in