Computational thinking (CT) is an indispensable higher-order competency in our complex, digitalized era; its development in students can be an effective tool for societal problem-solving. This research aimed to use an escape room to develop students’ computational thinking using challenges oriented toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 of the UN Agenda 2030. The escape room utilized an open educational resource (OER) format to ensure open, inclusive, and equitable education. This research was conducted in five Science Clubs in Mexico, with the participation of 118 high school and higher education students. The CTC4 questionnaire was the instrument to measure their perception of computational thinking. Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted. The findings highlight (a) the imperative need for strategies that promote the development of digital competencies in women, (b) a need to improve men’s perception of their computational thinking development, (c) there is a negative relationship between age and abstraction, and (d) the predominance of pattern recognition development over the other components of CT regardless of the level of digital competence. This work promotes the advancement sought within Education 5.0 to emphasize solutions for the common good. This research may interest educators who wish to implement innovative teaching-learning techniques, instructors who provide training in this field, individuals who want to develop their CT competency, and decision-makers involved in developing high-level competencies.

Keywords

complex thinking · educational innovation · higher education · computational thinking · scenario-based learning · digital competences