Effect of Technology-Integrated Interactive Activities on Vocabulary Development among Elementary Students in Wah Cantt

Abstract

Building up vocabulary is an essential element of developing literacy, understanding written texts, and doing well in school. However, primary school students in Pakistan often face challenges in expanding their vocabulary because most of the teaching methods used are passive and teacher-centered. This quantitative quasi-experimental study explored how technology-integrated interactive activities could enhance vocabulary development of primary school students in Wah Cantt, Pakistan. The research focused on not only the overall vocabulary enhancement but also the abilities of the students to identify, memorize, and implement the meanings of words they have learned through digitally supported interactive teaching. The participants consisted of two intact groups selected from the elementary level students of Federal Government Junior School No. 5, Wah Cantt: control group (n = 30) and experimental group (n = 30). A pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design was conducted. The control group was taught through the traditional teaching method. A vocabulary test was given based on the digital story and the interactive vocabulary exercises. A pilot test was done to verify the reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86). Pretest and posttest scores were collected, and descriptive and inferential statistics (independent-sample t-tests) were used for data analysis. Results revealed that the experimental group that used technology-integrated interactive activities was able to make a significant gain in vocabulary performance from pretest to posttest, while the control group, which used exposure method, recorded a slight increment. According to the independent-sample t-test, the two groups' posttest scores had a statistically significant difference. These findings suggest that technology-integrated interactive activities play a significant role in vocabulary acquisition for elementary school students. Besides teacher training for carrying out technology-integrated interactive teaching, the research also recommends change in curriculum such that digital vocabulary-building activities become a part of it. It also encourages the use of interactive technology tools by schools to foster vocabulary development.