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http://dx.doi.org/10.14400/JDC.2018.16.2.001

Chatbots and Korean EFL Students' English Vocabulary Learning  

Kim, Na-Young (King Jeongjo College of Liberal Arts, Hanshin University)
Publication Information
Journal of Digital Convergence / v.16, no.2, 2018 , pp. 1-7 More about this Journal
Abstract
The current study investigates whether artificially intelligent chatbots influence Korean EFL students' vocabulary learning. For eight weeks, 47 college students in Korea participated in this study. They were divided into two groups: one experimental group and one control group. Participants in the experimental group engaged in chat with a chatbot during the eight-week experimental period. Before and after the experiment, pre- and post-tests were administered to see if their English vocabulary improved. Pre- and post- surveys were also performed to understand how the participants perceived chatbot-assisted vocabulary learning. Results show that the experimental group improved their vocabulary skills as a result of engaging in chat with the chatbot. Also, their perceptions of vocabulary learning positively changed, increasing their motivation, interest, and confidence in English. Given that there have been few empirical studies to investigate the effects of chatbots on vocabulary development, the present study can provide insights on the effectiveness of chatbots.
Keywords
Chatbots; Korean students of English; English vocabulary learning; EFL settings; EFL students;
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Times Cited By KSCI : 4  (Citation Analysis)
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