Abstract:

This paper presents a gamified, mastery-based quiz system developed for a Real-Time Control Systems course. The aim was to help students gain fluency and confidence in C programming, a key skill for implementing control algorithms on embedded platforms. The approach focused on frequent practice, short feedback cycles, and a safe environment where making mistakes was part of the learning process.

The system included ten quiz levels, each focused on a specific programming topic: data types, control structures, functions, pointers, or memory management. To advance, students needed a score of nine out of ten. Each quiz lasted five minutes, promoting quick reasoning and reducing reliance on external help, including AI tools. Short lessons and annotated examples accompanied each quiz, allowing students to learn at their own pace and retry until they reached mastery.

To make the experience more engaging, the quizzes followed a fantasy narrative, inspired by Dungeons & Dragons. Each level represented a new challenge or “monster” to overcome, linking the sense of progress to discovery and fun. Although the storytelling gave a game-like atmosphere, the technical content remained fully focused on embedded systems, using examples with real variables and functions from sensors and microcontrollers.

This combination helped students lose their fear of failure. They learned that each attempt, even when incorrect, brought them closer to understanding. Over time, they developed strong foundations in C programming, especially in code reading and interpretation. Once this base was established, the course transitioned to mini-projects, where students learned by writing and testing their own code on real hardware. This two-stage path—mastery quizzing followed by project work—proved effective in building confidence, technical precision, and motivation in engineering education.

Keywords:

Mastery learning, gamification, C programming, embedded systems, code reading, failure-based learning.