Examining the Effects of Immersive Game-Based Learning on Student Engagement and the Development of Collaboration, Communication, Creativity and Critical Thinking

This mixed-methods study examined student engagement and the development of twenty-first-century learning skills of collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking for Grade 3 students who used immersive game-based learning activities using Breakout EDU strategies compared to students who used traditional small-group methods. BOEDU is an escape room for the classroom. There were 76 Grade 3 students in the study. There were 40 students in the immersive game-based learning group and 36 students in the tradition small-group learning group. The overall quantitative results showed no significant results for engagement or the development of twenty-first-century learning skills of students who participated using BOEDU strategies versus students who did not participate in BOEDU strategies. However, the subgroup of non-ELL students showed significant results for behavioural engagement and overall disaffection. In addition, the overall qualitative results showed teamwork, challenge and fun as the most frequent themes of motivational engagement triggers. The students who participated in the focus group interviews, both the engaged students and the disaffection students, stated they enjoyed this method of learning and wanted to do it more often.