Investigating The Effectiveness of Self-Directed Vocabulary Learning Using A Mobile App
Investigating The Effectiveness of Self-Directed Vocabulary Learning Using A Mobile App
Investigating The Effectiveness of Self-Directed Vocabulary Learning Using A Mobile App
Michael Recard 1
Hananto 2
Komilie Situmorang 3
1
the Lecturer of English Education Study Program
Universitas Pelita Harapan – Tangerang
Email: michael.recard@uph.edu
Phone: +62 813 1736 9131
2
the Lecturer in Faculty of Liberal Arts
Universitas Pelita Harapan – Tangerang
Email: hananto.fip@uph.edu
Phone: +62 858 1424 8180
3
the Lecturer in Faculty of Nursing
Universitas Pelita Harapan – Tangerang
Email: komilie.situmorang@uph.edu
Phone: +62 813 9651 3279
Abstract
This paper presents the results of a study aiming to
investigate the effectiveness of Self-Directed Vocabulary
Learning using a mobile app involving 185 Indonesian EFL
students from 2 Faculties in Banten, Indonesia. This study
Michael Recard, Hananto, Komilie Situmorang 109
has been shaped by the theory of motivation and self-
directed vocabulary learning, focusing on academic words
using a mobile application. This study used a quasi-
experiment research method involving control and
experimental groups with pre-and post-test data collection
techniques. The data were analyzed using descriptive
statistics to summarize the test scores and N-Gain to
calculate the difference between the pre-and post-test
scores. The N-Gain scores of the two groups show
significantly different results. The n-gain of the control
group was low (-0.04), while the n-gain of the experimental
group was moderate (0.67). It can be concluded that self-
directed vocabulary learning works only with properly
motivated students. On the other hand, self-directed
learning may not work with students with low motivation.
It is recommended that EFL teachers explore new ways to
motivate students in self-directed vocabulary learning.
A. Introduction
Acquiring skill in a foreign language requires
mastering vocabulary as a crucial element. A strong
vocabulary forms the foundation of effective
communication in any language. When it comes to
learning a new language, especially English as a
Foreign Language (EFL) in Indonesia, the importance
of having a large vocabulary cannot be emphasized
enough. Qian and Lin (2019) stress that having a rich
vocabulary is crucial for effectively expressing ideas,
feelings, and emotions. Moreover, knowing words and
their meanings helps in comprehending conversations,
texts, and various forms of media (Brooks et al (2023);
Solati-Dehkordi & Salehi (2016); Bancha & Tongtep
(2021)).
B. Literature Review
1. Vocabulary Threshold
How many words do EFL learners need to
know? The vocabulary threshold refers to a critical
number of words in a language that learners need
to reach in order to achieve a certain level of
proficiency or functional competence. This
threshold allows learners to engage in basic
communication and comprehend a significant
portion of spoken and written language.
Learners should prioritize learning the most
common and useful words first. These are often
referred to as high-frequency words or core
vocabulary, which make up a significant portion of
everyday communication. Building a strong
foundation with the most essential vocabulary
allows learners to engage in meaningful
conversations and comprehend a wide range of
texts. For example, reaching a vocabulary threshold
of around 1,000 to 3,000 words is often seen as
essential for basic communication and
comprehension in everyday situations (A2 to B1
levels in the Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages – CEFR).
Learners should prioritize learning the most
common and useful words first. These are often
referred to as high-frequency words or core
vocabulary, which make up a significant portion of
everyday communication. Building a strong
foundation with the most essential vocabulary
C. Method of Investigation
This study has been conducted with quantitative
approaches using measurement and statistics fields to
convert empirical facts into numbers and create
mathematical models that quantify behavior,
particularly in the learning (Tracy, 2012). The
quantitative design used is Quasi-Experimental
research. It examines if a particular treatment affects a
result. By administering one group a particular kind of
treatment while withholding it from another, the
researcher evaluates this by comparing the results of
both groups on an outcome. This type of experimental
study does not put the participants into groups at
random (Creswell, 2018).
There are 185 students involved in this study
from two study faculties (Faculty A and Faculty B).
Each study program involved 2 classes. The faculties
and their classes with their number of students can be
seen in the table below, they were taking English
subjects during the even semester 2022-2023 academic
year. The courses were conducted using Moodle
Learning Management System/ LMS.
Pre- and Post-tests are based on the Academic
Word List (AWL) developed by Averil Coxhead
(2000). It comprises words that are considered
important for academic success. These words are more
116 Michael Recard, Hananto, Komilie Situmorang
complex and specialized than general-use vocabulary
and are often encountered in academic reading,
writing, and discussions. The tests consisted of 33
multiple-choice questions. The tests were bilingual (the
target words were in English, and the multiple choices
were in Indonesian.
At the beginning of the semester, all students
were given a pre-test to measure their knowledge of
academic words. The students were then given access
to the OAS application through the VIBE (Vocabulary
Item Bank of English) developed by Field (Hananto,
2013) to self-learn the vocabulary at their own pace.
Every week, a quiz built from the OAS application was
imported to Moodle for students to check their weekly
understanding. Faculty A students were specifically
treated with rewards to boost their motivation so they
would intentionally study the vocabulary. Each week,
the teacher drew a random list from the vocabulary in
OAS and made a live competition in class 15 minutes
before the lesson. Three students who won the live quiz
will be given a chocolate bar.
The statistical analysis used in this study is
descriptive statistics and Normalized Gain (n-Gain).
Descriptive statistics involves the summary,
organization, and presentation of data to describe the
scores of the tests. The main purpose of descriptive
statistics is to simplify and represent the data in a
meaningful and understandable way.
N-Gain is a statistical measure used to evaluate
the effectiveness of an educational intervention or
instructional strategy. It is used to evaluate the
effectiveness of educational interventions and to
determine whether the intervention had a positive
impact on student learning. A higher n-Gain value
indicates a more significant improvement in student
Michael Recard, Hananto, Komilie Situmorang 117
understanding or performance as a result of the
educational intervention.
The resulting n-Gain value typically ranges
from -1 to 1. The table below is used to interpret the
result of n-Gain.
Table 1. n-gain Interpretation
Acknowledgement
The writers would like to thank LPPM Universitas
Pelita Harapan for their generosity in giving grant for this
research number P-72-FIP/XII/2021. This grant has enabled
us to conduct this research from the beginning until the end.
Geri, N., Winer, A., & Zaks, B. (2017). Challenging the six-
minute myth of online video lectures: Can
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https://doi.org/10.36965/ojakm.2017.5(1)101-111