Technology-Assisted Vocabulary Learning and Student Learning Outcomes: A Case Study

Abstract

This case study investigates the effectiveness of an online technology-assisted vocabulary learning programused by Korean university students in Seoul, Korea. Seventy-two students were given a vocabulary pre-testto measure their current knowledge of target vocabulary. Then the students used an online vocabularylearning application to complete 40 sessions of vocabulary learning exercises over 10 weeks that taughtboth receptive and productive knowledge of the target vocabulary. After 10 weeks, the students were givena vocabulary post-test. Results showed that the online program was effective in facilitating L2 vocabularylearning. In a post-survey, students expressed that the online program was, for all of them, a new method oflearning vocabulary and, for most of them, an effective way to learn vocabulary because it induced a regularstudy habit and gave them multiple forms of information about the target vocabulary, including itspronunciation and collocative usage. Quantitative data indicated significant improvements in bothreceptive and productive knowledge of the target vocabulary, with more considerable gains in productiveknowledge of the vocabulary.