Abstract
How the first day of class unfolds sets the tone for student engagement over the remainder of the semester. Instructors often employ icebreakers to spark interactions and increase students’ comfort in their classroom. Yet many activities only tangentially link to the course content or narrowly target one form of learning. In our “syllabus scavenger hunt” icebreaker, students work collaboratively to unpack their course syllabus and physically move through spaces critical to their learning. Applying the principles of spatial psychodynamics theory, this icebreaker simultaneously activates cognitive, social, and affective learning. This format results in higher retention and application of course information and deepened relationships among students. Moreover, its flexibility allows translation to courses with different focal topics, student degree levels (undergraduate, graduate, etc.), and sizes. We detail the instructions for running the syllabus scavenger hunt and provide suggestions to help instructors optimize its integration into their courses.
Introduction
This icebreaker activity was inspired by a recurring challenge faced by instructors at the outset of a semester: the need to familiarize students with each other and the course expectations. While much of this information is laid out in the course syllabus, evidence indicates that not all students actually read it (Pliego & Kaplan, 2025). We previously addressed this challenge by talking through the syllabus during the first class, emphasizing key information like deadlines (cognitive learning). However, this cognitive-only approach was not contributing to building community and collaboration within the classroom (social learning) or generating excitement about the content (affective learning). To enhance learning engagement and successfully “break the ice” between students and with the course, we designed a spatial psychodynamics-informed syllabus scavenger hunt (Tomkins, 2016; Vince, 2011).
The “gamified” format of the activity evokes emotional and social dynamics (Poole et al., 2014), connecting students more to each other and to class-relevant spaces (e.g., instructor’s office, library, learning centers). The evidence we have collected also indicates that it enhances their ability to remember and implement content included in the syllabus. As this icebreaker centers on introductory course material, it is applicable across disciplines and can be modified for multiple levels of instruction (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) and class sizes.
Theoretical Foundation
In developing this icebreaker, we drew from Vince’s (2011) spatial psychodynamics theory, which emphasizes how students co-create their learning through the interaction of space, a sense of place, and social interaction in the learning environment. What emerges from these experiences is a recognition of the emotional dynamics of learning. Vince (2011) notes that managers often bring contradictory and competing emotions to the workplace, such as “feelings of anxiety and ambivalence, an eagerness to discover, helpful and unhelpful existing knowledge, defensiveness, care, good ideas and competitiveness” (p. 334). We have observed that students may bring a similar set of complex emotions to the classroom at the start of the semester. This is sometimes reflected in the gap between students’ lack of action (e.g., not reviewing critical introductory course materials/resources) and instructor goals for the first day of class (e.g., preparing students to succeed in the course). By incorporating affective (i.e., positive view of the course and the instructor), social (i.e., potential to build bonds with each other), and cognitive (i.e., comprehension of course expectations) aspects of learning, the syllabus scavenger hunt icebreaker creates conditions that promote deeper engagement with subsequent course material.
In Blasco’s (2016) spatial approach to curricular design, she emphasizes the role of movement and interacting with the learning environment. She asks, “what if we were to regard curricula themselves as aesthetic artifacts which elicit responses that impact learning?” (Blasco, 2016, p. 118). We conceive of the syllabus as an artifact, reimagining it into a social icebreaker with opportunity for movement interaction (both individually and as a team). To support this reconceptualization, we focused on creating a positive learning climate for communication and collaboration (Boman et al., 2025; Fisher & Rosikiewicz, 2025); emphasizing inclusion, community, and togetherness (Blasco, 2016); and combining movement, auditory, and visual elements to allow students to engage with and understand materials in multiple ways (Kim et al., 2024). We did so by structuring the activity to both respect students’ abilities and empower them to participate in a manner that is most comfortable for them.
Learning Objectives
After completing the exercise, students will be able to:
Apply essential course policies, assignment expectations, and key dates from the course syllabus
Locate appropriate course resources and spaces for academic support and assistance
Demonstrate effective strategies for communicating and collaborating with classmates
Instructions for Running the Activity
Overview
The syllabus scavenger hunt requires student teams to collaboratively answer questions about the course syllabus and to navigate to spaces relevant to their performance in the course, where they may be asked to complete additional tasks. It is presented as a friendly competition where nominal incentives (e.g., bonus points, candy, etc.) are provided to reward students based on their speed of completion. Table 1 summarizes the required materials and activity steps.
Overview of the Syllabus Scavenger Hunt With Suggested Timing.
These estimates are based on the initial delivery of the activity. Question sets can be reused, which will reduce future preparation time. bActual time will depend on how far apart locations are (e.g., classroom to instructor’s office, instructor’s office to library, etc.).
Logistics
Before running the icebreaker, instructors should prepare a set of questions based on information contained in their course syllabus that will be handed out to each team (see Appendix A for a modifiable example). They should also determine any desired incentives and set up the relevant locations (hereafter referred to as “spaces”) where students will go as part of the scavenger hunt. These spaces should minimally include areas within the classroom (Space 1) and the instructor’s office (Space 2) where a sign will be placed on the door (see Appendix B). Instructors can optionally incorporate additional spaces, which may require pre-booking and coordinating with staff. We recommend creating nametags for each student to help them more quickly get to know one another. The only preparation required by students is to familiarize themselves with their syllabus, which could be uploaded to the course e-learning system prior to their first class.
The syllabus scavenger hunt icebreaker requires 56–90 minutes of class time. We recommend running it during the first class of the semester after general introductions. The activity is implementable in classes of various sizes, but based upon the authors’ facilitation experiences, it will be most manageable with up to 12 teams of four to five students.
Step-by-Step Instructions
At the outset of the activity, instructors inform students of the learning objectives, allotted timing, incentives for completion, and any considerations for respectful navigation in spaces within/outside the classroom. For example, it can be valuable to ask students to be mindful of their noise level in the hallways so that others in the vicinity are not disrupted. Students are then tasked with finding their team within the classroom (instructor’s discretion for assigning teams or allowing formation of own teams with explicit encouragement to work with new/unfamiliar peers). Each team is first provided with instructions for Space 1 (within the classroom) of the scavenger hunt (see Appendix A) to explore syllabus content (e.g., deadlines, assignment policies, key dates). Upon completion of the questions, the team submits their document to be graded in real time by the instructor. Students are asked to revisit any incorrect questions and resubmit. When all questions are answered correctly, the team is given instructions for proceeding to Space 2 (instructor’s office). If additional spaces are included (e.g., meet with the teaching assistant [TA], diversity-related support centers, student learning centers, tutoring support services, mental health support services, etc.), further instructions can be included in the sign posted on the instructor’s office door and/or in those next locations. Once all students have returned to the classroom (or in the next class if there are time constraints), the instructor leads a debrief and addresses any questions (see Table 1).
Variations
A strength of this icebreaker is that instructors can adapt the number of spaces to suit their course needs. Classes with more than 60 students, classrooms that are located far from other resource spaces, or campuses where indoor travel is challenging may not be as conducive to this activity without implementing a variation. In the first case, we propose the use of virtual materials (e.g., online syllabus, submission of answers with auto-grading/feedback enabled, etc.) for facilitation. This option can also be used by instructors seeking to incorporate environmental sustainability in their teaching. For campuses where the distances are large or inside travel is restricted, we would suggest sticking to only two spaces (within the classroom and the instructor’s office) to ensure that the activity can be conducted in a reasonable timeframe.
Online (synchronous) or remote (asynchronous) adaptations for Space 1 (in-classroom; syllabus content) are possible using breakout rooms and virtual materials (see above) to connect students with each other and with class-relevant materials. Although the full impact of leveraging spatial psychodynamics would not be possible for Space 2 and beyond (external locations), students may still connect with each other and learn about class-relevant materials by locating specific website resources together (e.g., the institution’s library resource page, the course website, a key relevant reading to the course) and by submitting the found webpage link(s) to a quiz for grading (with a receipt sent to all members for future reference).
Instructions for Debriefing the Activity
To debrief the syllabus scavenger hunt icebreaker and reinforce student learning, instructors can lead an in-class discussion when all teams have returned to the main classroom. Students can be eased into the discussion by opening with questions pertaining to course requirements in the syllabus (e.g., “How would you describe an ‘A-range’ output on a key assignment?”; or “When during the semester do you expect to be busiest with this course and how will you manage your time?”).
With respect to resources and spaces, students can be prompted about challenges in finding their way around the university and how they overcame them. This discussion will be especially important in cases where the entire team did not move to the space, and the students who did could share photos they took of the locations. Additional questions that could be incorporated involve reviewing required and suggested resources (e.g., “How will you find your assigned readings for the course?”; or “How will you seek help from your instructor or teaching assistant if you have questions?”).
We conclude the debrief with questions designed to prompt further reflection on effective strategies for communicating and collaborating with classmates, such as “How did your introduction help you to start building relationships with your classmates?”; “What helped you to work effectively with one another on this task?”; or “What takeaways/lessons may you apply to future team collaborations?” (see Ellis & Han, 2021; Schürmann et al., 2023). Table 1 includes additional debrief questions on effective communication and collaboration strategies.
In lieu of an in-class discussion (e.g., if time is limited or the instructor would like to ensure that all students equally participate), students can be asked to provide answers in writing by way of a discussion board on the e-learning system (allows open communication among students) or as an individual reflection assignment. If the latter approach is adopted, instructors can share aggregated responses and connect them to effective communication and collaboration strategies in the following class.
Conclusion
The syllabus scavenger hunt icebreaker helps students start the semester with a strong understanding of course expectations, positive feelings about the instructor and content, and deepened connections with one another. In addition to our own observations of learning outcome achievement, students’ comments about their experiences participating in the activity reinforce their cognitive (e.g., “We liked that it was memorable and everyone got all the dates easy.”), affective (e.g., “A more engaging first class than other classes . . . a fun way to problem solve . . . and get our minds working.”), and social (e.g., “It gave us the opportunity to socialize from the very first class, so that we know a little bit more about the people we are about to spend a semester with.”) learning. One of the authors also conducted an experiment comparing students’ understanding of the course syllabus between a class that completed the activity and one that did not and found that the icebreaker had a significantly positive impact on students’ ability to correctly answer syllabus-related exam questions. Table 2 summarizes those results along with supplementary student comments.
Summary of Learning: Domains and Outcomes.
When assessing students on their cognitive learning, a control and experimental group were formed between two sections of the same course during the same semester taught by one of the authors. The experimental group (on average) outperformed the control group by correctly answering more syllabus-related questions.
In addition to extending Vince’s (2011) work on using spatial psychodynamics to promote interpersonal connection and positive emotions, our icebreaker connects to Blasco’s (2016) curricular theory by encouraging students to learn through movement. Instructors who adopt the activity will benefit when students read their syllabus, engage with campus support services, and better remember course requirements. Likewise, students’ experiences and performance will be enhanced when they can better recall key course information, find needed resources, meet new friends, and build competency in communication and collaboration. Taken together, the syllabus scavenger hunt icebreaker injects fun and energy into the first class, setting the tone for a positive and inclusive space that supports learning throughout the remainder of the course.
Footnotes
Appendix A
Appendix B
Funding
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.