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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 Saidin

, Syifak Izhar Hisham*

, Zahian Ismail

, Nasrul Hadi Johari

, Abdullah Mat Safri

Faculty 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

School of Computing, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, MALAYSIA

Faculty of Mechanical Technology Engineering and Automotive, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan

Abdullah, Pekan, MALAYSIA

*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91100424

Received: 12 November 2025; Accepted: 18 November 2025; Published: 15 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 Al-

Sultan 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

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

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foundational element in building a resilient digital environment, making it a top priority for both individuals and

organizations (Bélanger et al., 2022).

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

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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 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

Al-Sultan 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)

Group 2 (Experimental)

Semester

Semester 2

Semester 1

Academic Session

2021/2022

2022/2023

Sample Size (N)

Intervention Type

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.

 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.

 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.

 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.

Figure 1. The Proposed Explorace Flow as the Outdoor Learning

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Figure 2. (a) The example of Checkpoint 1 task (copyrighted)

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.

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.

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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.

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

Group

Mean Score (%)

Mid-term Test

Group 1 (Control)

58.94

Group 2 (Experimental)

61.20

Final Exam

Group 1 (Control)

41.09

Group 2 (Experimental)

61.46

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.

Readiness and Interest Level

Yes No Neutral

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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

Figure 4. (b) Samples of Final Exam Answers from Group 2 students

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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

cyber-security 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.

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.

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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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