Active Learning to Find the Key to Unlock Your Laptop

Abstract

Higher education students are usually not familiar with active learning, especially students from degrees not related to education. This is not the case of primary and secondary education students, that have been involved in several active methodologies during their studies. This paper presents a game-based learning proposal that was implemented during a cryptography outreach session with high school students and with third-year students from computer science undergraduate degree. Both groups were separately involved in the activity, and they found the solution of all riddles and problems. Students behavior was similar, as all of them were engage with the game, where they learnt cryptography, while they were engaged in the active learning session acquiring transversal and specific skills.

Keywords

• active learning
• cryptography
• game-based learning
• breakout