Investigating the Use of Kahoot for Long-Term Vocabulary Retention among Grade XI EFL Students at SMAN 12 Enrekang
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30605/v1nzf734
Kahoot; long-term vocabulary retention; EFL; Game-based learning; Quasi-experimental
Abstract
Despite growing evidence supporting game-based learning in EFL vocabulary instruction, long-term retention effects of Kahoot remain largely underexplored, as most existing studies are limited to immediate post-test measurements, leaving its longitudinal impact on vocabulary retention empirically unverified. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Kahoot-based instruction on long-term vocabulary retention and students' perceptions toward Kahoot among Grade XI EFL students at SMAN 12 Enrekang, Indonesia. Employing a quantitative quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group, 48 students were divided into an experimental group (n = 24) receiving Kahoot-based instruction and a control group (n = 24) following rote learning methods across six instructional sessions. Data were collected through a 20-item vocabulary test administered at four measurement points, namely pre-test, post-test, and two delayed post-tests, and a 10-item Likert-scale questionnaire administered to the experimental group. Mixed ANOVA results revealed a significant Time * Group interaction effect (F(2.503, 115.145) = 3.277, p = .031, = .067), with the experimental group demonstrating significantly superior retention at the second delayed post-test (F(1, 46) = 5.126, p = .028, = .100), approximately five weeks after the completion of instruction, retaining a mean score of 62.29 compared to 45.62 in the control group. Students reported very positive perceptions toward Kahoot (overall M = 4.32), with enthusiasm (M = 4.71) and enjoyable learning atmosphere (M = 4.67) as the most valued features. These findings indicate that Kahoot-based instruction is significantly more effective than rote learning in sustaining long-term vocabulary retention, with practical implications for EFL teachers to integrate retrieval-based and game-based tools as a strategic approach to vocabulary instruction.
Downloads
References
Abdi, H. (2010). Greenhouse–Geisser correction. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of research design (pp. 545–548). Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412961288.n168
Ahmed, A. A. A., Sayed, B. T., Wekke, I. S., Widodo, M., Rostikawati, D., Ali, M. H., Abdul Hussein, H. A., & Azizian, M. (2022). An empirical study on the effects of using Kahoot as a game-based learning tool on EFL learners’ vocabulary recall and retention. Education Research International, 2022, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/9739147
Aisyah, N., & Salmiah, M. (2024). The effect of Kahoot as a learning media on students’ vocabulary mastery. Indonesian EFL Journal, 10(2), 197–204. https://doi.org/10.25134/ieflj.v10i2.10081
Añora, A. R. I., Jose, A. E. S., & Fernandez, E. J. (2025). The effect of using Kahoot as a game-based learning tool on vocabulary acquisition of grade 10 learners. European Journal of Literature, Language and Linguistics Studies, 9(1), 100-113. https://doi.org/10.46827/ejlll.v9i1.608
Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes. Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 2, 89–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-7421(08)60422-3
British Council, & Studyportals. (2024). Mapping English-taught programmes worldwide. British Council. https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/mapping_english-taught_programmes_worldwide_0.pdf
Brown, J. D. (2011). Likert items and scales of measurement. Shiken: JALT Testing & Evaluation SIG Newsletter, 15(1), 10–14. https://teval.jalt.org/test/PDF/Brown34.pdf
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE publications.
Ebbinghaus, H. (1913). Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology. (H. A. Ruger & C. E. Bussenius, Trans.). Teachers College, Columbia University. (Original work published 1885)
Farhane, H. (2025). An investigation of the effect of Kahoot on vocabulary retention among Moroccan EFL secondary school students: A quasi-experimental study. Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 7(3), 242-257. https://doi.org/10.32996/jeltal.2025.7.3.25
Hakami, A. (2025). The influences of the English language vocabulary on EFL learners’ English language competency proficiency. International Journal of Language and Literary Studies, 7(2), 431–447. https://doi.org/10.36892/ijlls.v7i2.2090
Ji, E. K. (2025). Students’ perceptions of Kahoot! for vocabulary learning from various lenses. Studies in English Education, 30(4), 19–57. https://doi.org/10.22275/see.30.4.02
Mubarok, D. I. R., Bilqis, M., & Imamyartha, D. (2025). Gamified English instruction mediated by kahoot! at senior high school: evidence for vocabulary gains. IJIET (International Journal of Indonesian Education and Teaching), 9(1), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.24071/ijiet.v9i1.10435
Nation, I. S. P. (2013). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Özdemir, O. (2024). Kahoot! Game-based digital learning platform: A comprehensive meta-analysis. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 41(1), e13084. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.13084
Paivio, A. (1979). Imagery and Verbal Processes. Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315798868
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Game-Based Learning. McGraw-Hill.
Rajayi, S., & Maleki, R. (2023). On the impact of teaching vocabulary through asynchronous social media on EFL learners’ vocabulary learning and retention. Anatolian Journal of Education, 8(2), 181–194. https://doi.org/10.29333/aje.2023.8212a
Richards, J. C., & Renandya, W. A. (Eds.). (2002). Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice. Cambridge University Press.
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2010.09.003
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American psychologist, 55(1), 68-78.
Schmider, E., Ziegler, M., Danay, E., Beyer, L., & Bühner, M. (2010). Is it really robust? Reinvestigating the robustness of ANOVA against violations of the normal distribution assumption. Methodology: European Journal of Research Methods for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, 6(4), 147–151. https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-2241/a000016
Shofiana, K. L., & Maemanah, A. (2025). Exploring the use of Kahoot as a game-based learning tools in vocabulary teaching to senior high school students: A systematic review. Jurnal Penelitian Ilmu Pendidikan Indonesia, 4(2), 893–901. https://jpion.org/index.php/jpi
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4
Webb, S., & Nation, P. (2017). How vocabulary is learned. Oxford University Press.
Zeng, Y., Kuo, L. J., Chen, L., Lin, J. A., & Shen, H. (2025). Vocabulary instruction for English learners: A systematic review connecting theories, research, and practices. Education Sciences, 15(3), Article 262. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030262
Zhong, K. (2024). The effect of game-based vocabulary learning on middle school students’ motivation and vocabulary retention. Proceedings of ICILLP 2024 Workshop, 166-172. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/74/2024.BO17947
Downloads
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Aisa Fitri, Musdalifah Musdalifah, Sri Rosmiana, Ismail Ismail, Umiyati Jabri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
In submitting the manuscript to the journal, the authors certify that:
- They are authorized by their co-authors to enter into these arrangements.
- The work described has not been formally published before, except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, thesis, or overlay journal.
- That it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere,
- That its publication has been approved by all the author(s) and by the responsible authorities – tacitly or explicitly – of the institutes where the work has been carried out.
- They secure the right to reproduce any material that has already been published or copyrighted elsewhere.
- They agree to the following license and copyright agreement.
License and Copyright Agreement
Authors who publish with Onoma Journal: Education, Languages??, and Literature agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
