Engaging minds, bridging cultures: The educational impact of digital escape room games

Escape room games have been used across various subjects, but research on their impact on intercultural competence in pre-service ELT teachers is limited. This study examines how digital escape room games enhance intercultural competences among 52 fourth-year pre-service ELT teachers at a state university in T & uuml;rkiye. Using a quasi-experimental design, participants were divided into an experimental group, which played games aimed at improving intercultural competence, and a control group, which received traditional instruction. Data was gathered through a pre- and post-test intercultural competence scale. Analysis using an independent samples t-test showed that the experimental group had significantly higher post-test scores compared to the control group. These results highlight the effectiveness of digital escape room games in developing intercultural competence and its subdimensions. The study offers insights and instructional implications, contributing valuable knowledge to the field.