ENG: Effectiveness of still images vs. short video clips as visual aids in vocabulary learning and retention - a comparative study among 8-9th grade EFL students

Abstract

The present master’s thesis suggests that images and videos can be utilised as information organisers and mnemonic aids to enhance the aspects of attention, memorisation and recall in the learning process of previously unknown vocabulary. The aim of this thesis is to compare these two media and evaluate their relative effectiveness as aids in the context of learning new vocabulary. A quasi-experiment in three phases with 50 students from Estonian school was conducted where participants watched slideshows with images and short videoclips with text captions on screen. Their ability to recall previously unknown words after watching the slideshows was documented. The thesis consists of an introduction, two core chapters and an overview of the quasi-experiment results. The aim and research question are presented in the introduction. Chapter one gives an overview of the literature and addresses the most relevant theoretical considerations related to the thesis. Chapter two focuses on the methodology of images and video clips used, the design of the quasi-experiment with immediate pre-, post- and delayed post-test data analysis, followed by the section where the results are summarised.