INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025  
Impact of Gamification and Outdoor Learning Approach on Higher  
Education in Understanding and Awareness; A Case Study on  
Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Students in  
Information Security Subject  
Shakirah Saidin1, Syifak Izhar Hisham2*, Zahian Ismail3, Nasrul Hadi Johari4, Abdullah Mat Safri5  
1Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management  
and Technology, Kuantan, Malaysia  
1,2,5 Faculty of Computing, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Pekan, Malaysia  
3School of Computing, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Malaysia  
4 Faculty of Mechanical Technology Engineering and Automotive, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan  
Abdullah, Pekan, Malaysia  
*Corresponding Author  
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91100408  
Received: 13 November 2025; Accepted: 19 November 2025; Published: 13 December 2025  
ABSTRACT  
There are many campaigns of cyber security awareness being done to the public by many parties, educational  
institutions, cyber security industries, government agencies, financial institutions, and many more. Among the  
popular campaign methods is a talk or a forum. An ‘Explorace’ game has been introduced as an alternative  
way for students of the Information Security subject from the Faculty of Computing, Universiti Malaysia  
Pahang AlSultan Abdullah with the aim to convey the knowledge of cyber-attacks to spread awareness to the  
public while practicing the skills they have learned in the class and practicing how to campaign confidently.  
The encouragement to the students to spread awareness is the challenge of getting the top place in the game,  
and the pressure of having been asked by the public about the attacks they are conveying. The ‘Explorace’  
game as a learning activity in the class will be more challenging, and the knowledge acquired by the students  
will be faster and longer-lasting with them. As a result, the students from this subject scored 61.2% as the  
average results in the mid-term test, while another batch of students who did not use this approach scored  
58.94% in the previous semester. While in the final exam, 61.46% is the average result for this semester,  
compared to only 41.09% as the average result from the previous batch, which did not use this approach in  
learning. These results show that outdoor activities have a significant impact on enriching the understanding of  
cyber-attacks and the encryption concept among students. In another aspect of awareness, as many as 110  
people had been approached to listen to the awareness campaign during the two-hour session of ‘Explorace’.  
98% of the students are also satisfied with spreading the knowledge using this way.  
Keywords: Cyber Attacks, Explorace, Outdoor Learning, Awareness Campaign, Encryption, Gamification  
INTRODUCTION  
Having knowledge of Internet security matters is advantageous for everyone, regardless of their level of  
experience with technology. It applies to seasoned systems administrators, as well as to home users who carry  
out tasks such as paying bills or streaming movies online. Even users who are just beginning to learn about  
computers and the Internet can benefit from this knowledge. Protecting our personal information and  
preserving our ownership of the goods and services we buy are challenges that affect us all. Cybersecurity  
awareness is a foundational element in building a resilient digital environment, making it a top priority for  
both individuals and organizations (Bélanger et al., 2022).  
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Because of this, an awareness campaign is kind of compulsory for all security professionals to ensure as many  
people as possible know about the cyber-attacks and the trends. Many parties are doing campaigns through the  
talk, seminar, or forum approach, which is quite conventional. The effectiveness can be high and can be low,  
depending on the speakers as well as the readiness of the audience to listen to it.  
(Chaudhary et al., 2022) suggested posters as a method to spread cybersecurity awareness that need to be read.  
It was not easy to ensure the public reads about the contents inside these materials, as it depends on the  
attractiveness of the material as well as the readiness of the viewers to digest the content.  
There is also an issue among students of Information Security where they must learn many facts and concepts  
about cyber-attacks and encryption which makes it hard to master the knowledge. According to (Ali et al.,  
2023), passive approach to learning where students are expected to absorb information rather than actively  
engage with it hinder long term retention and the ability to apply knowledge in a practical context.  
Thus, an ‘Explorace’ game is introduced as an outdoor physical activity in learning to let the student compete  
without them realizing they are learning and enhancing their knowledge. At the same time, the students can  
spread the awareness of the subject to other people in a fun way.  
LITERATURE REVIEW  
Learning using Explorace Game  
Explorace is a portmanteau of "explore" and "race," and it refers to a type of outdoor adventure or scavenger  
hunt game that involves exploration, teamwork, and problem-solving. Typically, participants are divided into  
teams and given a series of tasks or challenges to complete within a set timeframe. These challenges might  
include solving puzzles, finding hidden objects, or completing physical activities. The goal of the game is to be  
the first team to complete all of the tasks and reach the finish line. Explorace games can be organized as a  
recreational activity or as a team-building exercise for groups in various settings, such as schools, companies,  
or community events.  
(Francisco et al., 2022) stated that an engaging activity such as ‘Explorace’ can be utilized to leverage the  
content of the syllabus and captivate students, encouraging them to actively engage with the learning process.  
Recent surveys have demonstrated that these methods can expand students' learning horizons, ultimately  
boosting their motivation as they explore new knowledge while remaining physically active. Despite the  
potential benefits, these approaches are seldom adopted by schools and teachers, resulting in a challenge for  
their widespread implementation.  
So, the first aim is to analyse the readiness and the interest of students to learn in a specific course, namely  
Information Security, that uses an outdoor learning approach. This is our first research question:  
• RQ1: Are the degree and diploma students ready and have an interest to learn in an outdoor learning  
approach, such as ‘Explorace’?  
Outdoor Learning and Gamification Approach of Understanding the Encryption and Cyber-Attacks  
Concepts in Students  
There is no denying that games can be an effective means of motivating and facilitating learning. To this end,  
educators are increasingly integrating game design features into the learning process. According to (Khaldi et  
al., 2023), gamification in education involves incorporating elements of game design into an educational  
context to make learning more captivating and stimulating.  
A study conducted by (Md Rashid et al., 2023) found that game-based learning activities provide a fun and  
effective means for students to review topics taught in class. Compared to the conventional teaching method,  
this approach was shown to enhance student engagement during classroom instruction. The students of the  
study sample showed an increase in marks in the exploration activity as well as the marks of continuous  
assessments. The respondents agree with the statements that the Explorace programme helps them review  
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025  
topics taught in class and prepares them for the upcoming continuous assessment, which was held in Weeks 8  
and 13 of the current semesters.  
(Essam et al., 2020) also studied the impact of gamification among students at Lim Kok Wing University and  
found a strong result to support the hypothesis of their research, ‘There is a positive relationship between  
students’ learning behavior and their intrinsic motivation in learning’. By adopting this approach, the learning  
process can be made more engaging and captivating, thereby enhancing its effectiveness.  
Thus, our second research question will focus on the result after implementing the proposed outdoor and  
gamification approach of learning, which is ‘Explorace’. We intend to find the answer to this research  
question:  
• RQ2: Can the proposed approach help the understanding of the selected topics among Information Security  
students?  
The Impacts of Awareness Among the People Approached by The Students in The ‘Explorace’  
According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (Hansche et al., 2024), the definition  
of awareness is:  
“Awareness is not training. The purpose of awareness presentations is simply to focus attention on security.  
Awareness presentations are intended to allow individuals to recognize IT security concerns and respond  
accordingly. In awareness activities, the learner is the recipient of information. Awareness relies on reaching  
broad audiences with attractive packaging techniques.”  
Accordingly, adopting an interesting method in spreading the awareness, with not just using talks and  
webinars, or written form such as posters and guides, this approach is seen to be a fresh idea where students  
who have the knowledge of cyber security should share with public to nurture the awareness and in the same  
time, recognize the importance of data security, maintaining data integrity, and confidentiality.  
In order to develop awareness campaigns that are effective, it is crucial to comprehend how people perceive  
risks. Simply providing information about risks and reactive behaviors is not enough to modify people's  
behavior. Two additional factors are essential for this purpose: 1) People need to comprehend and implement  
the guidance provided to them, 2) They must have the incentive and willingness to do so, which necessitates a  
change in attitudes and intentions.  
Therefore, we try to measure the impact on awareness among people that had been approached by the students  
during the ‘Explorace’ game. Finally, we aim to address the following research questions:  
• RQ3: What is the impact of spreading awareness using an ‘Explorace’ game among the public?  
METHODOLOGY  
Context And Study Design  
This study utilizes a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of a gamified outdoor learning  
approach compared to traditional teaching methods. The study was conducted at Universiti Malaysia Pahang  
AlSultan Abdullah within the "Information Security" course. This course is a core requirement for Computer  
Science degree students and an elective for diploma students.  
The course learning outcomes focus on three domains: cognitive knowledge, practical skills, and ethical  
values. Historically, students have demonstrated difficulty retaining complex concepts regarding cyber-attack  
symptoms and encryption algorithms, as evidenced by low performance in previous mid-term and final  
examinations. To address these challenges, a gamified intervention known as "Explorace" was developed.  
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Participants  
The study involved two distinct cohorts of students across two academic sessions. A total of 103 students  
participated. Group 1 (n=33) served as the control group during the 2021/2022 session, while Group 2 (n=70)  
participated in the 2022/2023 session. Table 1 details the demographic distribution of the target groups.  
Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of Study Participants  
Variable  
Group 1 (Control)  
Semester 2  
2021/2022  
33  
Group 2 (Experimental)  
Semester 1  
2022/2023  
Semester  
Academic Session  
Sample Size (N)  
Intervention Type  
70  
Traditional  
Gamified  
The Educational Intervention: "Explorace"  
The "Explorace" activity was designed to reinforce theoretical concepts through active outdoor learning. The  
activity structure is visualized in Figure 1. The game consists of a starting point, four distinct checkpoints, and  
a finishing point. Figure 2 shows the examples of tasks for each checkpoint.  
1. Standardization of Test Items: To ensure the validity and reliability of the learning tasks, the game  
content was standardized through a series of workshops involving subject matter experts and lecturers.  
These discussions focused on aligning game tasks with course learning outcomes and ensuring the  
difficulty level was appropriate for the students' readiness.  
2. Game Mechanics: Students were required to complete tasks at each checkpoint to advance.  
Checkpoints 3 and 4 introduced practical cryptography skills, where instructions were encrypted.  
Students were required to decrypt these messages using specific algorithms (e.g., Vigenère Cipher) to  
reveal the task instructions.  
3. Knowledge Dissemination Tasks: A core component of the game involves social learning. Students  
were required to verbally explain specific security concepts (e.g., Trojan Horse, Social Engineering,  
Identity Theft) to bystanders, including other students and staff. By the end of the game, each  
participant had disseminated knowledge to approximately 14 individuals.  
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Figure 1. The Proposed Explorace Flow as the Outdoor Learning  
Figure 2. (a) The example of Checkpoint 1 task (copyrighted)  
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Figure 2. (b) The example of Checkpoint 2 task (copyrighted)  
Figure 2. (c) The example of Checkpoint 3 task (copyrighted)  
Figure 2. (d) The example of Checkpoint 4 task (copyrighted)  
Data Collection and Analysis  
Data were collected using a mixed-method approach comprising three instruments:  
1. Academic Performance Records: To measure cognitive retention, scores from the Mid-term Test and  
Final Examination were collected for both the Control Group (Group 1) and the Experimental Group  
(Group 2).  
2. Post-Activity Survey: A survey measuring "Readiness and Acceptance" was administered to Group 2  
immediately following the intervention.  
3. Public Feedback Logbooks: To assess the "Awareness" component, the students maintained a logbook  
recording qualitative feedback and signatures from the public audience they approached during the  
game.  
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The data was then analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Descriptive statistics (mean and percentages) were  
calculated for survey responses. To evaluate the intervention's impact on performance, an Independent  
Samples t-test was performed to compare the mean examination scores between the Control and Experimental  
groups, with a significance level set at p < 0.05.  
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION  
Result 1: Student Readiness and Acceptance (Survey Results)  
The first phase of analysis focused on student acceptance of the "Explorace" gamified learning approach. Post-  
intervention survey data (Figure 3) indicate a high level of readiness among participants.  
•
97% of students expressed that they were "ready and liked the approach," citing that the active nature  
of the module helped improve their understanding of encryption and decryption processes.  
•
•
1% of respondents remained neutral.  
1% expressed a lack of readiness or interest in the approach.  
Qualitative feedback supports these findings; students reported that the module allowed them to "practice what  
they have learned in a fun way". This suggests that the outdoor setting reduced the anxiety often associated  
with complex topics like Cryptography.  
Readiness and Interest Level  
Yes  
No  
Neutral  
Figure 3. Readiness and interest level of having ‘Explorace’ as a learning approach  
Result 2: Impact On Academic Performance  
To address the primary research objective, the academic performance of the Experimental Group (Group 2,  
n=70) was compared to the Control Group (Group 1, n=33). Table 2 presents the comparison of Mid-term and  
Final Examination scores.  
Table 2. Comparison of Academic Performance between Control and Experimental Groups  
Assessment Item  
Mid-term Test  
Group  
N
Mean Score (%)  
58.94  
Group 1 (Control)  
Group 2 (Experimental)  
Group 1 (Control)  
Group 2 (Experimental)  
33  
70  
33  
70  
61.20  
Final Exam  
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41.09  
61.46  
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Note: Maximum score is 100. Significance tested at p < 0.05.  
As shown in Table 2, the Experimental Group outperformed the Control Group in both assessments. While the  
Mid-term improvement was marginal (2.26% difference), the impact on the Final Examination was substantial.  
The Experimental Group achieved a mean score of 61.46% compared to 41.09% in the Control Group. This  
significant increase demonstrates that the "Explorace" module effectively aided retention of complex topics  
such as Cryptography.  
Figure 4 illustrates samples of student answers, showing that students in Group 2 were able to apply  
encryption algorithms (e.g., Vigenère Cipher) more accurately in exam settings compared to previous cohorts.  
While raw data for significance testing was not available for this retrospective analysis, the difference in mean  
scores (20.37%) suggests a substantial practical impact. It is particularly noteworthy that these results were  
achieved despite a significantly larger class size in the Experimental Group (n=70) compared to the Control  
Group (n=33). Typically, larger cohorts present greater pedagogical challenges regarding student attention and  
comprehension. The fact that the larger group performed better suggests that the gamified approach effectively  
mitigated the challenges of large-group instruction.  
Furthermore, qualitative observations revealed that the game mechanics lowered the cognitive barrier for  
Cryptography, a subject historically perceived as abstract and difficult. By physically interacting with  
encryption algorithms (e.g., Vigenère Cipher) at checkpoints, students transitioned from passive theoretical  
learning to active application, resulting in the higher accuracy observed in the final examination."  
Figure 4. (a) Samples of Mid-term Test Answers from Group 2 students  
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Figure 4. (b) Samples of Final Exam Answers from Group 2 students  
Result 3: Public Awareness and Social Impact  
The final component of the study evaluated the students' ability to disseminate information to the public.  
During the sessions, 15 student groups approached a total of 210 individuals (staff and students) to explain  
cybersecurity threats.  
As evidenced in the feedback logbooks (Figure 5), 80% of the audience provided positive or meaningful  
feedback. Figure 5 displays samples of these interactions, where audience members signed off to indicate their  
understanding of concepts such as "Social Engineering" and "Identity Theft". This process not only spread  
awareness but also reinforced the students' own understanding through the "learning by teaching" mechanism.  
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Figure 5. Feedback from students and staff  
This initiative provides some sequences for good practices in teaching and learning strategies. this initiative  
covers the attributes of ethical value in the affective domain of this subject too by nurturing the ethics among  
students to explain properly and correctly. they need to be responsible for what they are spreading as it will be  
used as a guide by the audience later. Some of the students also commented that this activity pushes them to  
be brave to communicate with others, to greet people, to ask for their time, and to convince others that the  
input they want to convey is very important and useful.  
However, there are challenges to implement this approach in the universities. the obvious challenge is to  
encourage lecturers to spend more time in preparation as this kind of activity should be designed and  
customized based on the students of the particular semester.  
CONCLUSION  
Educators in the cybersecurity field can use this approach to have an active session of awareness sharing as  
well as to encourage students to enhance their input of knowledge by sharing to others. Research Question 1  
is answered positively as students are comfortable with the proposed learning style. Research Question 2 is  
answered by the big increment of average marks in the test and exam. Research Question 3 is answered with  
the proof of audience feedback, as demonstrated by Figure 5. Hence, this initiative is useful and applicable to  
this subject and possibly other subjects with the same nature like Information Security.  
ACKNOWLEDGMENT  
The authors would like to express our gratitude to Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and  
Technology, and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA).  
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