Instructional Formats and Digital Game-Based Vocabulary Learning Activities: The Role of Extraneous Cognitive Load
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| Title: | Instructional Formats and Digital Game-Based Vocabulary Learning Activities: The Role of Extraneous Cognitive Load |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Amin Rasti-Behbahani (ORCID |
| Source: | Australian Journal of Applied Linguistics. 2026 9. |
| Availability: | Castledown Publishers. Ground Level, 470 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, 3004, Australia. Tel: +61-3-7003-8355; e-mail: contact@castledown.com; Web site: https://castledown.online/journals/ajal/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 26 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Computer Games, Educational Games, Game Based Learning, Vocabulary Development, Learning Activities, Cognitive Processes, Difficulty Level, Arabic, College Freshmen, Language Tests, Receptive Language, Short Term Memory, Retention (Psychology), Video Games, Foreign Countries |
| Geographic Terms: | Oman |
| ISSN: | 2209-0959 |
| Abstract: | This research examined the impact of minimizing extraneous cognitive load on incidental vocabulary learning during digital game-based vocabulary learning (DGBVL) activities. The participants were 70 Arabic-speaking university freshmen (CEFR A2) who were randomly assigned to an Integration Group, where the extraneous load was minimized, and a Control Group, where it was not. The students played an arcade-style online game that taught them ten low-frequency pseudowords. Then they were given Immediate and Delayed post-tests, which measured eight areas of word knowledge, including both receptive and productive skills. A 2 × 2 repeated-measures MANOVA revealed significant main effects of group and time. The integration format, which was less cumbersome for their working memory, allowed the participants to experience more vocabulary gains and better retention than the control group. The advantages were particularly strong for the productive aspect of word knowledge, which demands more from working memory. These results support the hypothesis that the proper minimization of extraneous cognitive load may lead to an increase in both learning efficiency and retention. It therefore emphasizes the significance of teacher intervention in the design of DGBVL with extraneous cognitive load as a factor. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 20260101 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1511039 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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