Teaching Design, Arts, and Fashion Students about Plastics and Recycling: The Use of Online and Offline Escape Room Scenarios

Herein we propose the implementation of an "escape room" activity to reinforce chemistry-related concepts for students of the Bachelor of Arts and Fashion. In this work, a combined online and offline activity is developed, easily adaptable to different environments. The online activity consists of 5 blocks of multiple-quiz questions regarding the concepts taught in theory classes of the subject ranging from the basic concepts of densities of fluids to thermoplastics alongside other concepts such as recycling. After successfully completing each question block, one clue is revealed. The offline activity consists of 6 laboratory-based experiments based on the same concepts but providing an immersive scenario by the use of experiments and puzzles. The experiments are simple and related to concepts (polymer science, density, and recycling) for nonscientific bachelor's degrees. The final objective is to obtain a four-digit code which can deactivate a "bomb" which is constructed with a simple Arduino microcontroller, providing a real urgency scenario for the activity. To construct the Arduino-based "bomb" minimum electronic parts and cost are needed as well as minimal programming knowledge, making this activity accessible to every teacher worldwide. An alternative to the use of Arduino by employing Google Collab is also provided. Positive feedback regarding concept consolidation and amusement has been observed.