Effects of digital escape room on gameful experience, collaboration, and motivation of elementary school students

The current study examined the effects of digital escape room perceived by 528 elementary school students. Several precursors connected to those learning practices, namely, gameful experience, collaboration and motivation were examined. A game-based learning questionnaire applied in the study was validated. Findings indicated that students perceived the gameful experience as affecting their motivation and collaboration. Collaboration had a very low effect on motivation, whereas grade level played a mediating role in linking gameful experience and motivation. Significant differences were found between experiment group learning via digital escape room and control group learning via digital games in all main and sub-constructs, when students’ learning via a digital escape room showed higher levels of attitudes in all learning constructs - gameful experience, collaboration, and motivation. Results indicate students preferred the digital escape room game over other digital game-based learning activities in elementary school as it enhanced higher collaboration and social experience among students, greater internal and external motivation to learn, and stronger gameful experience creating challenge, playfulness, and a sense of accomplishment in learning. The study bridges the gap in the knowledge of using digital educational games in elementary school showing the advantage of escape room game effects on student learning. •A Game-Based Learning questionnaire applied in the study was validated.•Elementary students perceived the gameful experience as affecting their motivation and collaboration.•Grade level played a mediating role linking gameful experience and motivation.•Significant differences were found between students learning via digital escape rooms and learning via digital games.