Breakout EDU is all about engaging students to learn better through immersion, collaboration, and problem-solving. It does this by using puzzle-based learning much like that used in escape rooms.

Escape rooms have become very popular as a place teams can go to work out how to get free from the room in which they are "trapped." It's like a real world version of a computer game that makes you work together to solve puzzles to escape from somewhere.

Breakout EDU helps to bring that experience to educators so as to better engage students and help them learn while having fun.

So could Breakout EDU work for you? Read on to find out everything you need to know.

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What is Breakout EDU?

Breakout EDU is a standards-aligned game platform that allows teachers to get across a wide range of subjects using the engagement of escape room-style puzzles.

This uses both physical and digital puzzle games to help work on collaborative learning in team-based testing.

The physical Breakout EDU kit comes with all the materials needed to start a puzzle-based challenge. This gets you a large and small box plus five locks, two of which can be set with shapes, colors, arrows, and letters. Other clues, such as a UV flashlight and invisible ink, a red lens viewer, and a blank USB drive are also included. There are also cards with questions that help students discuss and process the experience.

Educators can start off each class with Lock of the Day, 5-to-10 minute games that can be used to engage all learners.

Teachers can access free games from their online account, which allows them to setup these real-world challenges for students in the classroom. For more games you'll need a paid subscription but there are more details on pricing options further down this page.

How does Breakout EDU work?

Breakout EDU requires a physical kit that teachers can setup to have students work out the puzzles. These locks, boxes, and other items can be used in numerous combinations with a story added to suit what is being taught.

While teachers could, technically, make up their own challenges, there are plenty online that can be used for a far easier and time-saving experience. 

Once teachers select a digital game from their online accounts they are given a set of instructions – in easy-to-follow video format – that shows how to setup the game. This can also feature links to material that can be printed to add more layers to the experience. 

Each game features a story that creates the reason for the "problem" and why it needs to be solved. This immersion is heightened by the use of a "facilitation tool," which offers a countdown timer and music that grows in intensity to add to the excitement.

Students can be set to complete the task of finding the various clues and locks around the classroom, or further afield, depending on how it is setup. Teachers can observe students to see how they work individually, how they work as a team, and how they think when left alone with a challenge.

What are the best Breakout EDU features?

Breakout EDU is all about teamwork, making it a great tool for helping students work together on a common goal. For this reason it's ideal for in-classroom learning but it could conceivably be setup to include students fed-in from elsewhere also. To that extent, it also can be used as a fun icebreaker.

The key here is that however it works, students will be forced to actively learn as they share ideas and perspectives in an attempt to solve the puzzles and progress as a team.

Different setups are available for varying subjects and grades, using geometric shapes, computer science, physical education, literature, library, and team development. These can be combined as teachers can also team up to create multidisciplinary challenges for students. 

The ability to use digital games also helps as a way to get playing quickly and across varying physical abilities. Students can even create their own games, for approval by the teacher, which can be played by the class.

Teachers can offer hints, or let students fail, as they see fit -- allowing for a very real experience for all involved.

How much does Breakout EDU cost?

Breakout EDU offers a few pricing options that gets access to physical kits as well as the online support to go with that. There are options for teachers alone and for schools.

Teachers can pay $99 for a subscription and $119 for a kit. Or get a bundle with the two for $179, to make a saving of $59. Annual subscriptions can then be renewed each year for a further $99.

Schools can pay $999 for a complete subscription, and kits are charged at $119 each. Or go for a school-wide subscription with 10 kits for $1,999, saving $690.

Breakout EDU best tips and tricks

Assign roles
Have all students get involved by assigning roles to each so everyone needs to participate in order for the group to progress.

Prep timers
Make sure students who could be anxious under the pressure of a timer are made aware of how the game works so they can be more relaxed when the pressure mounts.

Let students build
Have students build games in which the class can participate and reward that so more students want to learn to build creatively too.

• What Is Quizlet And How Can I Teach With It?
• Top Sites and Apps for Math During Remote Learning
• Best Tools for Teachers

I started to write this post in my last blog, but I realized that I was putting the cart before the horse. My last blog started off as five tools to present content in an alternative way, but it soon turned into strategies rather than tools. The funny part of it is that it helped give me the reminder that we always need: technology is used to amplify instruction and the tools should always come second!

The tools below all give you great options to get started in producing and using content in different ways. If you have not read my blog on alternative strategies to deliver content, I highly encourage it. I think the best way to use these tools is to find some structure that puts you in between the traditional lecture-based classroom and the flipped classroom approach. All these tools can be used to get you there!

cross posted at www.bigguyinabowtie.com

David Lockhart is an edtech presenter, speaker, advocate, and coach with over ten years' experience teaching high school social studies. As an Education Technology Specialist with the Iteach Center at Kennesaw State University, he works with a metro Atlanta school district to personalize learning for students with the aid of technology. Read his blog at bigguyinabowtie.com and follow him on Twitter @bigguyinabowtie.