Speaker
Description
This study aimed to examine whether students showed any improvement through gamified ESP vocabulary lessons on the online platform Kahoot! at a Vietnamese university. It also explored the students’ perceptions of benefits and challenges of using this platform for ESP vocabulary learning. Action research with the two-loop cyclical process was employed in an ESP class to implement the three-phase teaching of ESP vocabulary. Both quantitative and qualitative were collected through tests and questionnaires administered to 29 students, as well as semi-structured interviews with six students. After two cycles with necessary adaptations, the results revealed that the application of gamified learning positively impacted the students’ ESP vocabulary proficiency. Moreover, gamified learning was perceived as highly beneficial to the students in terms of improved language knowledge and digital literacy; increased engagement and interest; enhanced learner quality development, and a more effective learning environment. Nevertheless, the students also reported four groups of barriers when interacting with this gamified learning platform, ranked in descending order of agreement: institution-related, student-related, teacher-related, and technology-related barriers. The findings highlighted several major hindrances, such as internet disconnection, limited financial support, unsupportive teaching policies, and limited English proficiency and digital literacy while teacher-related challenges were considered the least serious. Finally, several pedagogical implications are provided to maximize its benefits and mitigate the existing limitations, thereby ensuring a more effective implementation of gamified learning to enhance Vietnamese students’ ESP vocabulary learning.
Biography
Thi Lam NGUYEN has been working as an English teacher at People’s Security University, Vietnam for seven years. She achieved a Master in TESOL at University of Social Sciences and Humanities - HCMC National University and is currently a PhD student at Ho Chi Minh City Open University. Her research interests are mobile-assisted language learning, gamified learning, and learner autonomy.
Thi Nguyet LE has been working as a senior lecturer of English language at People’s Security University, Vietnam for 20 years. She achieved a PhD in Education at School of Education, Edith Cowan University, Australia. She has revealed a strong passion for scientific research in the fields of TESOL methodology, blended learning, CLIL, EMI, ESP and learner autonomy.
| Affiliate type | Vietnamese public school |
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