Capture-the-Flag (CTF) -Based Gamification in Cybersecurity Learning: A Motivational Analysis Using the ARCS Framework
Momin, Mahibul Abdullah Ibne (2025)
2025
Tietotekniikan DI-ohjelma - Master's Programme in Information Technology
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2025-11-07
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2025110710461
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2025110710461
Tiivistelmä
As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated, there is a growing need for cybersecurity education that balances theoretical knowledge with practical skills. While Capture-the-Flag (CTF) games have been adopted in cybersecurity learning, their motivational impact remains underexplored, particularly in relation to students’ engagement with course readings and problem-solving.
This thesis explores the motivational impact of integrating a CTF game into a university-level cybersecurity course, using the ARCS model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) as a framework. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were conducted with 51 participants using the Reduced Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (RIMMS). The findings indicated significant improvements in students’ Attention and Satisfaction levels following the CTF intervention. Although Relevance and Confidence showed minimal change, their relatively high mean scores before and after the intervention may suggest that students had already perceived the course content as practical and meaningful prior to the intervention, pointing to an additive rather than transformative impact.
Further analysis of game elements revealed a preference for cognitive challenge and real-world relevance over extrinsic features like points and entertainment value. In terms of integration, 53% of the students preferred incorporating CTF games with structured learning platforms, highlighting the importance of thoughtful instructional design. Findings from the analysis of hint usage patterns revealed a misalignment between predefined task difficulty and students’ actual support needs, suggesting that perceived complexity was shaped more by task-specific features and cognitive demands than by assigned difficulty levels. These findings highlight the need for more nuanced design strategies in CTF-based learning environments to better support learner needs.
This thesis contributes to the current research on gamified learning by providing empirical evidence of how CTF-based activities can support motivational engagement in cybersecurity education. The findings provide practical guidance for educators seeking to enhance traditional teaching methods through game-based approaches.
This thesis explores the motivational impact of integrating a CTF game into a university-level cybersecurity course, using the ARCS model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) as a framework. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were conducted with 51 participants using the Reduced Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (RIMMS). The findings indicated significant improvements in students’ Attention and Satisfaction levels following the CTF intervention. Although Relevance and Confidence showed minimal change, their relatively high mean scores before and after the intervention may suggest that students had already perceived the course content as practical and meaningful prior to the intervention, pointing to an additive rather than transformative impact.
Further analysis of game elements revealed a preference for cognitive challenge and real-world relevance over extrinsic features like points and entertainment value. In terms of integration, 53% of the students preferred incorporating CTF games with structured learning platforms, highlighting the importance of thoughtful instructional design. Findings from the analysis of hint usage patterns revealed a misalignment between predefined task difficulty and students’ actual support needs, suggesting that perceived complexity was shaped more by task-specific features and cognitive demands than by assigned difficulty levels. These findings highlight the need for more nuanced design strategies in CTF-based learning environments to better support learner needs.
This thesis contributes to the current research on gamified learning by providing empirical evidence of how CTF-based activities can support motivational engagement in cybersecurity education. The findings provide practical guidance for educators seeking to enhance traditional teaching methods through game-based approaches.