Cyber Play: a narrative-driven approach to cybersecurity education for pre-GCSE learners

Teehan, Catherine 2025. Cyber Play: a narrative-driven approach to cybersecurity education for pre-GCSE learners. Presented at: 18th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, Seville, Spain, 10-12 November 2025. Published in: Chova, Luis Gómez, Martínez, Chelo González and Lees, Joanna eds. ICERI2025 Proceedings. IATED Academy, pp. 7918-7924. 10.21125/iceri.2025.2207 Item availability restricted.

PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 8 January 2026 due to copyright restrictions. Download (509kB)

Abstract

This paper presents Cyber Play, an interactive educational theatre experience designed to teach cybersecurity concepts to pre-GCSE students in Years 9 and 10. Developed in collaboration with Bridgend College’s STEAM Academy, the project integrates game-based and story-based learning within a 45-minute interactive play, supported by an 8-week classroom curriculum. Using the Twine platform, Cyber Play immerses students in real-world cybersecurity scenarios—phishing, malware, and network traffic analysis—where their decisions influence the narrative. Aligned with the Welsh Digital Competence Framework (DCF), the project promotes critical thinking, digital citizenship, and ethical online behaviour. Evaluation through surveys and informal testing indicates increased engagement, knowledge retention, and behavioural change. This paper explores the pedagogical foundations, technical implementation, and educational impact of Cyber Play, offering a scalable model for integrating gamification into digital literacy education.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Computer Science & Informatics
Publisher:	IATED Academy
ISBN:	978-84-09-78706-7
ISSN:	2340-1095
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	5 December 2025
Date of Acceptance:	14 August 2025
Last Modified:	08 Dec 2025 12:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/182948

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item