Author: Manuel Castro, UNED

1. Increasing engagement in a
network security management
course through gamification
Manuel Castro
mcastro@ieec.uned.es
https://es.slideshare.net/mmmcastro

2. Objectives
Gamification experience to foster continuos studying
Tool: Qstream
 Supports the delivery of the daily questions and provides
quality analytics of the course and student performance in
real-time
 Widely use in medicine, but not in engineering
Hypothesis: Check validity of this gamification tool in an
engineering course
2

3. Experimentation
Subject: Network security management
 Information Technology Engineering Degree (UNED)
Course evaluation: Very theoretical
 50% of grade comes from test questions
Gamification aim: promoting students’ performance in
this specific part, although the knowledge acquired
through Qstream can help in the rest of the exam

4. Spaced Education
Educational programs that are constructed to take
advantage of the spacing effect

5. Spaced Education
Training material spaced and repeated over time results
in greater knowledge acquisition and retention of
content than when the same material is presented at a
single time point

6. Spaced Education
E-mailed cases, questions, or short messages, can
improve the acquisition and retention of topic-specific
knowledge (Franklin / Kerfoot)

7. Qstream Example

8. Experimentation
1 question send daily through email
Duration: from the beginning of the course until two weeks
before the final exam (3,5 months)
36 students participated in the Qstream activity from the 49
registered in the subject
30 multiple choice questions with 4 possible answers
 Covering most important topics of the course
 Similar to final exam
Participation through any device (Computer or smartphone)

9. Game rules
Correct answer:+50 points
 Sent again after few days to foster knowledge assimilation
 Question retired when correctly answered twice in a row
Incorrect answer:+10 points
 Educational feedback provided
 Sent again after few days

10. Score Ranking
• Score ranking provided daily
to students after each
response

11. Survey
1. Receiving daily questions has helped me to take advantage of my time (3.3/5)
2. Receiving daily questions has helped me to not leaving the study to the end of
the term (4.1 / 5)
3. Receiving daily questions has helped me to organize my study time more
efficiently (3.4 / 5)
4. Receiving daily questions has helped me to motivate me for the study (4.4 / 5)
5. Receiving daily questions has helped me to get more interested on the subject
(3.9 / 5)
6. Receiving daily questions has helped me to plan my study (3.2 / 5)
7. Receiving daily questions has helped me to be aware of my progress in the
study (3.7 / 5)

12. Survey
8. Receiving daily questions has helped me to go more
prepared to the exam (4 / 5)
9. Receiving daily questions has helped me to learn better
the subject as a whole (3.8 / 5)
10. Receiving daily questions has helped me to consolidate
what I studied (4.2 / 5)
11. Receiving daily questions has helped me to test my
knowledge (4.4 / 5)
12. Receiving daily questions has helped me to review and
go deeper in what I previously studied (4.1 / 5)
13. I really enjoyed working on this activity (4.5 / 5)

13. Survey
14. I think participating in this activity was a good
opportunity (4.1 / 5)
15. Everyday I was looking forward to receiving the
questions (3.8 / 5)
16. I think I am quite good at this activity (3.4 / 5)
17. I found this activity very interesting (4.5 / 5)
18. I felt tense during the activity (1.4 / 5)
19. I think that I have performed quite well in
comparison with their peers (2.9 / 5)

14. Survey
20. I found this activity fun (4.4 / 5)
21. I felt satisfied with his/her performance in the
activity (3.8 / 5)
22. I felt more competent to study the subject after
working in this activity (1 / 5)
23. I think that this activity is important for the
understanding of the subject (3.4 / 5)
24. I think that this activity has improved my study
habits (3.7 / 5)

15. Survey
25. I would like to have this activity in other subjects (3.1 / 5)
26. I think that receiving points is stimulating (4.7 / 5)
27. I think that comparing with my peers has helped me to
improve myself (4.1 / 5)
28. I found Qstream easy to use (3.9 / 5)
29. I find stimulating to see the ranking everyday (3.7 / 5)
30. I think that learning through challenges is stimulating (3.8 /5)
31. I feel prepared for the exam (3.7 / 5)

16. Detection of topics with problems
Topic without understanding problems
 Most students answered the same

17. Detection of topics with problems
Topic with understanding problems
 Not clear for students which one is the correct

18. Findings
Spaced education seem to bring important benefits to
the Network Security Management education field
 Not only to Medicine
Detection of understanding problems
Promotes:
 self-studying
 motivation
 learning acquisition

19. Increasing engagement in a
network security management
course through gamification
Manuel Castro
mcastro@ieec.uned.es
https://es.slideshare.net/mmmcastro
Thank you!