Amidst the torrent of (dis)information online, distinguishing between factual and misleading content has become increasingly challenging. Young adults, who primarily consume information through digital platforms, are often exposed to a mix of credible science and misinformation, making it difficult to foster critical engagement with research. While universities actively engage with this demographic for course recruitment, they often fall short in sustaining meaningful scientific discourse beyond the classroom. This growing disconnect highlights the need for innovative science communication strategies that resonate with young adults, leveraging interactive and engaging formats to capture their attention and encourage informed discussions. Gamification, combined with technological innovations, offers a promising approach to enhancing science communication through game-based learning. Specifically, immersive escape rooms designed for incidental learning may provide an effective solution. This project proposal aims to assess the attitudes and perceptions of university students and academics towards the use of escape rooms to communicate science. We propose a mixed-methods approach consisting of an online questionnaire to assess openness or resistance to this innovative format, complemented with focus groups to gain deeper insights into participants' perspectives. We anticipate university students will show strong interest in this format, but academics (professors and researchers) may show some resistance to its adoption. Findings from this project could inform the development of evidence-based escape rooms for science communication, promoting game-based learning, tackling barriers in engaging young adults with scientific content, and encouraging their active participation in scientific discourse.

Este trabalho tem por base a candidatura a financiamento nacional, num projeto que conta com Susana Batel (CIS-Iscte) e Paulo Nuno Vicente (Universidade NOVA de Lisboa).

escape rooms,science communication