The Impact of Augmented Reality Driven Gamification on Lexical Acquisition and Long Term Vocabulary Retention

Abstract

Persistence in challenges with acquiring vocabulary and retaining it over time is an issue in learning English as a target language that is further compounded by the lack of learner engagement and context in typical teaching methods. This research examines how Augmented Reality (AR) affects gamified learning experiences and, in turn, vocabulary acquisition and retention among English as a Second Language (ESL) students. A quasi-experimental research approach was used with 60 intermediate students. These students were split into the experimental group (AR-based gamified learning) and the control group (traditional methods). A pre-test, an immediate post-test, and a retention test (administered 3 weeks later) were administered to measure retention. There was a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group relative to the control group. The AR-gamified group showed a 34.6% increase in vocabulary acquisition from the pre-test (M = 42.3, SD = 6.1) to the post-test (M = 56.9, SD = 5.4), while the control group showed a comparatively lower increase of 12.8%. After three weeks, the experimental group retained 82.5% of its vocabulary, compared with 61.2% for the control group. The significance of these differences was confirmed by an independent samples t-test (p < 0.01). The retention and acquisition results support the idea that AR gamification improves long-term retention and acquisition. With the growing use of technology, pedagogically, more focus should also be placed on improving outcomes in language-learning teaching methods. This study has helped fill a gap in the literature on ESL learning and modern techniques. Wider demographic studies and longer-term studies in this field would also be beneficial.