Quasi-Experimental Study on Using Undercover Games to Improve Vocabulary Mastery of Eighth Graders
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Abstract
Vocabulary mastery is a fundamental challenge for English learners, as traditional teaching methods
often fail to maintain student engagement and retention. The purpose of this study is to examine the
effectiveness of the "Undercover Game" on students' vocabulary mastery and to identify significant
differences between students taught using this technique and those taught through conventional
methods. This quantitative research employed a quasi-experimental design involving a population
of 282 students, with a sample of 63 students from SMP Negeri 1 Dukuhturi. The study was conducted
over three weeks, where the experimental group received treatment using the Undercover Game, a
gamification technique focusing on hidden word identification through clues and social interaction
while the control group followed traditional instruction. Data were collected using pre-test and post
test instruments and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The results revealed a significant difference in
mean scores between the two groups, evidenced by a t-value of -3.849 and a 2-tailed significance
level of 0.000 (p < 0.05). The mean difference of -8.714 explicitly indicates that the group taught
using the Undercover Game achieved substantially higher vocabulary learning outcomes. In
conclusion, this study demonstrates that the Undercover Game is an effective tool for enhancing
English vocabulary mastery. Therefore, it is recommended that teachers utilize gamification
techniques as an engaging and effective alternative to improve learning outcomes in the classroom.
Keywords: Undercover Game; Vocabulary Mastery; Gamification;
Article Details
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