Innovative Pedagogy in Engineering Ethics: Validating a Digital Role-Playing Game for Malaysian Pre-university Students

Engineering ethics education (EEE) in Malaysia remains largely passive, hindering students’ engagement and moral reasoning. To address this gap, a Digital Role-Playing Game-Based Learning (DRPGBL) intervention, Engineering Ethics Enigma (3E), was developed to align with the Malaysian Matriculation Programme curriculum. However, its instructional usability and relevance, required validation. This study reports the iterative testing of 3E through expert review $(\mathrm{n}=12)$ and student pilot testing ($\mathrm{n}=36$). Experts rated content relevance ($M=4.75$) and overall suitability ($M=4.67$) highly, while students echoed these ratings and emphasized learning effectiveness ($M=4.72$). Usability scores improved following targeted refinements. The lowest scores were observed for perceived knowledge retention, highlighting a need for enhanced post-game reinforcement. The results validate 3E as a curriculum-aligned, engaging, and pedagogically sound tool for pre-university ethics education. These findings establish a strong foundation for large-scale quasi-experimental implementation and support the broader integration of DRPGBL in values-driven STEM education.