THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING VOCABULARY.COM WEBSITE ON STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY AT SECOND SEMESTER UNIVERSITAS BHINNEKA PGRI
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51878/learning.v6i4.13546Keywords:
Digital Learning, English Vocabulary, Vocabulary Mastery, Vocabulary.ComAbstract
ABSTRACT
Vocabulary mastery is a fundamental component of English language learning that supports students’ ability to communicate effectively and develop other language skills. However, limited vocabulary remains a common challenge among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, highlighting the need for innovative technology-assisted learning media. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Vocabulary.com website in improving the vocabulary mastery of second-semester students at Universitas Bhinneka PGRI. A quantitative approach employing a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was applied. The participants consisted of 32 second-semester students selected as the research sample. Data were collected through a 20-item multiple-choice vocabulary test administered before and after the treatment. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Paired Samples t-Test with SPSS version 25. The findings revealed a substantial improvement in students’ vocabulary achievement, with the mean score increasing from 72.34 on the pretest to 85.78 on the posttest. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significance value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), indicating a significant difference between students’ vocabulary performance before and after the implementation of Vocabulary.com. The findings suggest that the platform effectively enhances vocabulary mastery by providing contextualized, adaptive, and interactive learning experiences that encourage active student engagement. Therefore, Vocabulary.com can be considered an effective digital learning medium for supporting vocabulary instruction in higher education.
ABSTRAK
Penguasaan kosakata merupakan salah satu komponen dasar dalam pembelajaran bahasa Inggris yang mendukung kemampuan mahasiswa untuk berkomunikasi secara efektif dan mengembangkan keterampilan berbahasa lainnya. Namun, keterbatasan kosakata masih menjadi tantangan yang umum dihadapi oleh pembelajar bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa asing (EFL), sehingga diperlukan media pembelajaran berbantuan teknologi yang inovatif. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis efektivitas penggunaan situs web Vocabulary.com dalam meningkatkan penguasaan kosakata mahasiswa semester II di Universitas Bhinneka PGRI. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan desain pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest. Partisipan penelitian terdiri atas 32 mahasiswa semester II yang dijadikan sebagai sampel penelitian. Data dikumpulkan melalui tes kosakata pilihan ganda sebanyak 20 butir yang diberikan sebelum dan sesudah perlakuan. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis menggunakan statistik deskriptif dan Paired Samples t-Test dengan bantuan SPSS versi 25. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya peningkatan yang cukup besar pada pencapaian kosakata mahasiswa, dengan nilai rata-rata meningkat dari 72,34 pada pretest menjadi 85,78 pada posttest. Hasil analisis statistik menunjukkan nilai signifikansi sebesar 0,000 (p < 0,05), yang menunjukkan adanya perbedaan yang signifikan antara kemampuan kosakata mahasiswa sebelum dan sesudah penggunaan Vocabulary.com. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa platform tersebut efektif meningkatkan penguasaan kosakata melalui pengalaman belajar yang kontekstual, adaptif, dan interaktif yang mendorong keterlibatan aktif mahasiswa. Dengan demikian, Vocabulary.com dapat dipertimbangkan sebagai media pembelajaran digital yang efektif untuk mendukung pembelajaran kosakata pada pendidikan tinggi.
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