New Perspectives in Science Education

In this communication we show the results of an activity proposed to students in the graduate degree in Early Childhood Education and in the graduate degree in Primary Education relative to the content unit of measurement. In this activity we simulated a situation similar to those presented in “escape rooms”, in which they had to overcome a series of challenges in a limited time. These challenged were based in the magnitudes present in the Early Childhood Education and Primary Education curricula, such as length, area, volume, mass and time. These challenges involved mathematical manipulatives (such as Cuisenaire rods, hollow geometric bodies and weighting scales) to show how to use them and inspire their use in students’ future teaching practice. The main objective of this activity was to show a different way of treating these contents, instead of the traditional one, which in most cases is reduced to the instrumental dimension of mathematical knowledge. In addition to this, each group had to work cohesively to be able to advance in the challenges, favoring a cooperative learning. This resulted in a greater motivation and participation by students.

Keywords: mathematics, measure, escape room, student motivation, teacher training;