Teaching and Learning Cybersecurity using Capture the Flag: Effectiveness Comparison between University Students in Finland and Czechia
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216305%3A26220%2F26%3A0198712" target="_blank" >RIV/00216305:26220/26:0198712 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/cae.70082" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1002/cae.70082</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cae.70082" target="_blank" >10.1002/cae.70082</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Teaching and Learning Cybersecurity using Capture the Flag: Effectiveness Comparison between University Students in Finland and Czechia
Original language description
In today’s society, the demand for cybersecurity experts is increasing, as digital information systems are widely spread and targeted by malicious actors. This means that cybersecurity education should be effective in increasing students’ knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, and the ability to adapt and apply knowledge in rapidly evolving situations. Offering hands-on training with real-world-like scenarios and exercises, for example, in the form of Capture the Flag (CTF) games, is one component in teaching students the needed skills. In this research, we measure and compare the effectiveness of cybersecurity teaching with the gamified CTF scenario in the University 2 Cyber Arena (CA). We measure the effectiveness of CTF scenario with pre- and post-surveys among university students in Finland and Czechia, and examine effectiveness among different student groups. We also study student satisfaction and the perceived meaningfulness of the learning for different scenario elements, such as instructions, tasks, and gamification elements. The CTFs increased knowledge and skill variables, self-efficacy variables, and interest variables. CTFs can have positive effects on learning-related variables despite varying student’s base skills or level of knowledge, but different types of students may benefit in different ways. Student satisfaction and perceived meaningfulness of learning with CTF was also high across different student groups.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
50301 - Education, general; including training, pedagogy, didactics [and education systems]
Result continuities
Project
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Continuities
S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION
ISSN
1061-3773
e-ISSN
1099-0542
Volume of the periodical
33
Issue of the periodical within the volume
5
Country of publishing house
US - UNITED STATES
Number of pages
29
Pages from-to
1-29
UT code for WoS article
001577605500001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105016906690