The Effect of Gen Z Digital Language-Integrated Microlearning Videos on Vocabulary Retention among Indonesian EFL Learners

Abstract

Vocabulary retention remains a persistent challenge in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning, particularly when vocabulary instruction relies primarily on memorization and decontextualized word lists. This study investigated the effect of Gen Z digital language-integrated microlearning videos on Indonesian EFL learners’ vocabulary retention. A quantitative quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group design was employed involving 30 eleventh-grade Indonesian EFL learners from a private vocational high school in Lamongan, East Java, Indonesia. The participants were assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15) through purposive sampling. The experimental group received vocabulary instruction through two- to three-minute microlearning videos integrating Gen Z digital language features, including informal digital expressions, abbreviations, emojis, contextual examples, and visual illustrations, whereas the control group received conventional vocabulary instruction. Vocabulary knowledge was measured using a pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test administered seven days after the intervention. Because the data violated the assumptions of normality and homogeneity, the Mann–Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that the experimental group showed significant improvement from the pre-test to the post-test and maintained relatively stable performance on the seven-day delayed post-test, indicating effective short-term vocabulary retention. Significant differences were also observed between the experimental and control groups in the post-test and delayed post-test. However, the significant baseline difference identified in the pre-test suggests that these findings should be interpreted with caution. Overall, the results indicate that Gen Z digital language-integrated microlearning videos have the potential to support vocabulary learning and short-term vocabulary retention among Indonesian EFL learners.