Unlocking the Potential of Puzzle-based Learning: Designing Escape Rooms and Games for the Classroom

Discover the educational power of puzzle-based learning. Understand the principles of effective game design, the power of well-crafted narratives and how different game mechanics can support varied learning objectives.

Applying escape room concepts to the classroom, this book offers practical advice on how to create immersive, collaborative learning experiences for your students without the need for expensive resources and tools.

Packed with examples, including a full sample puzzle game for you to use with your students, this book is a primer for classroom teachers on designing robust learning activities using problem-solving principles.

Dr. Scott Nicholson is a professor in the Game Design and Development program at Wilfrid Laurier Unviersity in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.  He has been designing live-action games for over 30 years and was the first scholar to explore escape rooms at an international level.  He led a team of students to create the escape rooms for the 2017 and 2019 Red Bull Mind Gamers Escape Room World Championships and was the designer of the award-winning Breakout EDU puzzle box game, Ballot Box Bumble.  He is a former librarian and library school professor, and his passion is creating face-to-face games for learning in museums, libraries, classrooms and the home.

Liz Cable is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Narratives and Transmedia Production at Leeds Trinity University, UK, and a PhD candidate researching Escape Games in Education. She founded The Adventurers Guild national live-action role-playing society, was Editor of “The Adventurer” magazine, and has run several massive multiplayer campaigns over 30 years. She has been designing commercial and educational escape games since 2015, and teaches educators to make immersive games for the classroom and beyond.