How an Escape Room Is Building Students' Digital Skills at Northampton Community College

Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania recently won an Instructional Technology Council award for excellence in e-learning, recognizing its Smart Apartment Learning Lab: a combination escape room and technology sandbox in which students can learn about the tech we take for granted in our everyday lives. Picture a homey space in which the walls literally have eyes — or rather cameras and other sensors, integrated into seemingly innocuous objects like picture frames, the refrigerator or even a robotic cat. We spoke with Beth Ritter-Guth, associate dean of online learning and educational technology at the college, to find out how the Learning Lab is engaging students, building digital literacy and providing valuable training in the job skills of the future. Resource links: Instructional Technology Council 2021 Awards for Excellence in eLearning Smart Apartment Learning Lab virtual tour Adding Escape Rooms to Your Online Course Contact Beth Ritter-Guth Music: Mixkit Duration: 30 minutes Transcript