doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.8.2673
Fostering Cybersecurity Awareness and Learning Engagement Using Serious Games
Rahayu Ahmad1,*
,
Mohammed Mohammed-Ramzi2
- 1School of Computing, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia
- 2Information Technology Department, Tishk International University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
- Manuscript receivedOctober 10, 2025
- revisedNovember 20, 2025
- acceptedMarch 2, 2026
- publishedAugust 18, 2026
Abstract
Serious games provide an effective approach to cybersecurity education by situating learners in interactive environments that support skill acquisition and knowledge retention. This study introduces SecureCyberQuest (SCQ), a theory-driven serious game designed to enhance cybersecurity awareness and learner engagement. The game design integrates principles from Cognitive Load Theory to structure-focused mini games targeting specific cybersecurity concepts, and Flow Theory to guide the progression of challenges and game mechanics. An experimental evaluation with 44 undergraduate students demonstrated improvements in cybersecurity awareness following gameplay. Additionally, perceived learning effectiveness, usability, and overall gameplay experience were positively associated with user engagement. These findings empirically support Flow Theory, indicating well-balanced challenges and game elements foster learners’ competence and autonomy. The results further confirm the effective application of Cognitive Load Theory, as progressively increasing difficulty contributed to positive learning experiences and outcomes.
Keywords
- learning engagement
- cognitive load theory
- flow theory
- serious games
- cybersecurity
How to Cite
Rahayu Ahmad and Mohammed Mohammed-Ramzi, "Fostering Cybersecurity Awareness and Learning Engagement Using Serious Games," International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 8, pp. 2137-2144, 2026. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.8.2673
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).