Assessing the Impact of Gamified Learning on Vocabulary Retention in English Among Students of SMP Negeri 2 Lotu

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the impact of Quizizz-based gamified learning on English vocabulary retention among eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 2 Lotu and to compare students' vocabulary retention with those taught using conventional methods. The research was conducted at SMP Negeri 2 Lotu, North Nias Regency, during the 2025/2026 academic year. This study employed a quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group. The population consisted of all eighth-grade students, while the sample comprised 44 students from two classes selected through cluster sampling: 22 students in the experimental group and 22 students in the control group. Data were collected using a 25-item multiple-choice vocabulary retention test administered as both pre-test and post-test. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk normality test, Levene’s homogeneity test, paired-samples t-test, and independent-samples t-test with IBM SPSS Statistics version 26. The findings revealed that the experimental group showed a substantial improvement in vocabulary retention, with the mean score increasing from 43.09 in the pre-test to 84.00 in the post-test. The paired-samples t-test indicated a significant improvement (p = 0.000 < 0.05). Furthermore, the independent-samples t-test demonstrated a significant difference between the experimental and control groups' post-test scores (p = 0.000 < 0.05). These findings indicate that Quizizz-based gamified learning is more effective than conventional instruction in improving students' English vocabulary retention.