The effectiveness of multimedia technology in the acquisition of Spanish vocabulary

The purpose of this research study was to explore whether multimedia technology (the use of a computer-controlled videodisc system) facilitated the acquisition of a certain set of Spanish lexical items. The research also explored whether the same set of lexical items was acquired by viewing segments of foreign-language films. The research used a four-group experimental design. Students of Spanish at the University of Pennsylvania were randomly assigned to one of three different treatment groups or to a no-treatment control group. All experimental participants were given a pretest and posttest. The multimedia treatment group viewed segments of popular Spanish-language films using computer-controlled videodisc technology. The V 1 and V 2 groups viewed the same Spanish-language film segments on a television monitor. The V 2 group viewed an version with English-language subtitles while the V 1 group viewed the original Spanish-language version. The pre-treatment and post-treatment cloze tests measured vocabulary knowledge. The scores on these tests were utilized as outcome measures. As the experimental treatment is the only medium through which vocabulary knowledge was acquired, it can be assumed that a noted increase on cloze-test scores demonstrates the possible effect of the experimental treatment. The increase in cloze-test scores for the multimedia, V 1 and V 2 groups supports the notion that context-based vocabulary instruction is an effective method for teaching vocabulary. The marginally higher scores of the multimedia group subjects indicate that this technology, if used properly, can assist in the teaching of Spanish vocabulary