Since 2014, Nicholson was the one who approached the evolution of Escape Rooms (ER) from aneducational point of view, therefore attempting to identify the way in which the concept could practically fit in various educational scenarios and programs. Despite the fact that some elements of educational escape rooms can be found online, they are though appearing as disparate elements and unconnected multimedia files, without maintaining a comprehensive structure nor being constructed upon a well-analysed approach which is pedagogically validated, whilst they have never particularly focused on the provision of entrepreneurial know-how, and specifically on ‘social entrepreneurship’ (SE) education in the way the latter is being approached by the Youth Sector.
Hence, ‘ER-SE’ project consortium, composed of two NGOs -CIP from Cyprus (applicant) and iED from Greece-, and two SMEs -LogoPsyCom from Belgium and C4G from Portugal-, intends to develop a comprehensive set of material along with a holistic approach in order to conjugate the new trend of ER with the educational dimensions of SE, thus satisfying the needs of different social groups that fall in the Youth Sector. Such multifaceted target will be accomplished through the creation of digital tools (OERs)which will be provided mainly in the form of apps. Through the creation of this project and its intellectual outputs, the three main expected end results on the project’s completion are: I) The modernization of the teaching/training material that youth organizations and youth centers (targeted by dissemination activities) tend to introduce in their daily routines and which are interwoven with the reinforcement of the field of SE. II) The creation and empowerment of a new generation of SEs, fully trained to tackle multiple modern challenges and able to come up with sustainable and structured solutions, thus creating social value. III) A full exploitation of all the possibilities provided through the gamified processes, and especially through the big trend of ER, with the aim the latter to be converted into effective educational tools, which take into consideration the validated results of the already existing research, by employing various synchronous digital tools, such as on-line courses and interactive platforms, digital gamified processes, digital media, VR Elements, apps, QR codes etc. In addition to those three main results, the project team expects to obtain three secondary pedagogical results: i) creation of educative escape rooms with a clear inclusive aspect to allow an equal participation for the learners with a specific learning disorder, and especially ‘Dys’ youngsters, who are facing Dyspraxia, Dysphasia, Dyslexia, etc and other marginalized groups, such as NEET, long-term unemployed and migrants and refugees. ii) increase of the awareness of the learners on the cultural European heritage related with the field of Social Entrepreneurship (SE) iii) development of soft skills by making the learners to act proactively and in an innovative way. These OERs include: -1 Booklet (guide) published in four languages provided in digital format (.e pub); ‘The pedagogical applicability of gamification and ER for Social Entrepreneurship in the Youth Sector’, aiming at a thorough analysis of the concept and the benefits of this particular educational tool, by answering questions such as: ‘What are Escape Room (ER), Escape games and their variation entitled as ‘breakout box’; What are ER made of; Why using ER for youth education and Practical Examples of Usage; Focusing on SE: A methodological guide for the pedagogical use of Escape Rooms on SE, appealing to Youth Sector; -1 Guide in four languages provided in digital, printable format (.e pub); “Escape Rooms on Social Entrepreneurship;
An analytical Production Guide’” gathering practical indications interwoven with the sector of SE that appeal to youth workers, thus enabling them to create their own versions and scenarios; – 12 “Escape rooms scenarios on Social Entrepreneurship” (4 languages), including all the materials, a thoroughly-analysed curriculum, blueprint, multimedia and a digital toolkit containing Virtual Reality
Elements, QR codes etc; -1 Booklet of good practices (do’s and don’ts), enriched with specially recorded e-videos, presenting the trials, errors and successes, thus facilitating youth trainers to grasp the process in the best possible way; – 1 “Escape E-Platform” where project materials will be uploaded as well as OERs from other sources and additional content from the partners or from outsiders. In addition, the following organisational results are expected: -4 national pilot testing of the 12 ER scenarios and the material, by gathering 100 people in total; -1 International training gathering
8 people (2 per organisation) and valid for 1 ECVET, with all its material and explanation for further reproduction; -4 transnational partner meetings and 4 National Conferences.
CIP is the coordinator of this project
Website: www.er-se.eu
Facebook: @erseproject
Duration: The Project runs for 24 months starting on 31/05/2019 and finishing on 01/06/2021.
Project Number:2018-3-CY02-KA205-001373
