Unlocking Ethical AI: A Gamified Escape-Room Workshop 

We will present an escape-room-inspired workshop designed to assist students at the University of East London in understanding the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) during their studies.The workshop was developed to increase students’ digital literacy and awareness of responsible AI use, as well as to attempt to increase student engagement compared to more traditional teaching methods (Dugnol‑Menéndez et al., 2021). A guide developed by the Academic Tutoring Team was used to create the workshop exercises, with the content adapted into structured learning tasks aligned with gamification principles (López-Belmonte, 2020).

Two face-to-face sessions were delivered in the first term, during which students worked in pairs and progressed through a series of puzzles each focusing on aspects of responsible AI use. Students were required to solve four exercises to produce numeric codes needed to open four locked boxes. By incorporating gamification elements into the learning process, students were encouraged to read, evaluate, and apply critical thinking to different AI practices throughout the whole session, which contributed to greater engagement and reduced anxiety during academic tasks (Laura-De La Cruz, 2023). Working in pairs also supported collaborative learning, encouraged peer discussion, and strengthened communication skills. The teaching team supported facilitation by clarifying instructions and ensuring a smooth progression of tasks. Observations and student feedback were positive and suggested increased student engagement across the entire session. These outcomes align with research highlighting the motivational benefits of educational escape rooms (López-Belmonte, 2020).

The presentation will include a brief live demonstration of the exercises students completed, highlighting how gamification learning environments can enhance participation, deepen understanding, and support ethical engagement with AI in academic contexts. The live demo incorporates an AI generated introductory video leading students into the main session. 

 
References

Dugnol-Menéndez, J., Jiménez-Arberas, E., Ruiz-Fernández, M.L., Fernández-Valera, D., Mok, A. and Merayo-Lloves, J., (2021). ‘A collaborative escape room as gamification strategy to increase learning motivation and develop curricular skills of occupational therapy students’, BMC Medical Education, 21 (544), pp. 1-13. Available at: doi:10.1186/s12909-021-02973-5.

Laura-De La Cruz, K.M., Noa-Copaja, S.J., Turpo-Gebera, O., Montesinos-Valencia, C.C., Bazán-Velasquez, S.M. and Pérez-Postigo, G.S., (2023). ‘Use of gamification in English learning in higher education: A systematic review’. Journal of Technology and Science Education (JOTSE), 13(2), pp.480-497. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.1740 (Accessed: 25 November 2025). 

López-Belmonte, J., Segura-Robles, A., Fuentes-Cabrera, A. and Parra-González, M.E., (2020). ‘Evaluating Activation and Absence of Negative Effect: Gamification and Escape Rooms for Learning’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (2224), pp.1-12. Available at: doi:10.3390/ijerph17072224.