Investigating the Effectiveness of Self-Directed Vocabulary Learning Using a Mobile App

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 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.

Keywords: Vocabulary, Self-directed Learning, Motivation, Mobile App