AN ESCAPE ROOM ACTIVITY IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

This proposal outlines an escape room activity that integrates key concepts from courses offered by the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Valencia.Designed as an interactive learning experience, the activity encourages students to develop hypotheses, ask questions, and make decisions based on clues and experimental results obtained through analytical instrumentation.By engaging in this hands-on approach, students can apply the theoretical knowledge gained during their academic studies.Escape room-style activities are rooted in active learning, placing students at the center of the experience while fostering the development of theoretical, practical, and behavioral skills.Research supports their effectiveness in complementing traditional teaching methods, aiding exam preparation, and enhancing laboratory practice.Additionally, these activities boost student motivation through engaging challenges and promote teamwork in problem-solving scenarios.In this case, the proposed escape room takes place in a laboratory setting designed to simulate the workspace of a missing scientist.Students must complete a series of analytical tests to progress toward their ultimate goal: retrieving a code to unlock the scientist's laptop and uncover the mystery behind their disappearance.The challenges include fluorescence spectroscopy for analyzing tonic drinks, infrared spectroscopy for organic substance identification, and X-ray fluorescence for examining inorganic salts.Each test provides analytical results that lead to the next stage, ultimately guiding students toward the final solution.This initiative makes use of the available facilities and resources at the University of Valencia's Faculty of Chemistry.The required equipment and materials are readily accessible and easily adaptable.The activity is tailored for laboratory courses with an instrumental focus, such as the Analytical Chemistry II Laboratory and the Applied Instrumental Analysis Laboratory, typically taken in the third and fourth years of the Chemistry Degree program.