A Quasi-Experimental Study of the Impact of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning on Technical Vocabulary Learning among Computer Science Students in Umaru Sanda Ahmadu College of Education, Minna, Nigeria.

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study investigated the efficacy of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) for enhancing technical vocabulary acquisition among second-year computer science undergraduates at the Umaru Sanda Ahmadu College of Education (USACOE), Minna, Nigeria. From a target population of 150 students, a sample of 80 participants was selected and assigned to either an experimental group, which received instruction via a spaced-repetition mobile flashcard application, or a control group, which received conventional classroom-based instruction. Complete pre-test and post-test data were obtained from 76 participants and subjected to rigorous statistical analysis. Baseline equivalence between the groups was established using an independent samples t-test, which revealed no statistically significant difference in pre-test scores, t (74) = 0.31, p = .76. To evaluate the intervention effect while adjusting for initial differences, an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted with pre-test scores as a covariate. The results indicated a statistically significant main effect of instructional method, with the MALL group outperforming the control group, F (1, 73) = 98.12, p < .001, partial η² = .57. The magnitude of the effect was substantial, as evidenced by a large Cohen’s d value of 1.24, indicating strong practical significance. Furthermore, a multiple regression-based moderation analysis was performed to assess whether prior vocabulary knowledge influenced the effectiveness of the MALL intervention. The interaction effect was not statistically significant (β = 0.24, p = .39), suggesting that the intervention was equally effective regardless of learners’ initial vocabulary proficiency. Overall, the findings provide robust empirical evidence supporting the integration of MALL strategies—particularly spaced-repetition mobile applications—as a scalable and pedagogically effective approach for improving technical vocabulary acquisition among computer science students in Nigerian tertiary institutions.