PUZZLE BASED LEARNING THROUGH FIGGERITS APPLICATION TO ENRICH EFL STUDENT VOCABULARY: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS

Vocabulary acquisition remains a persistent challenge for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, particularly in higher education settings where traditional methods often fail to engage students or promote long-term retention. In response, mobile puzzle-based learning tools such as the Figger...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Thareq Ahmad Alqawwiy, Maryati Salmiah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta 2025-07-01
Series:Frasa
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ojs.udb.ac.id/FRASA/article/view/5044
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849331378484674560
author Thareq Ahmad Alqawwiy
Maryati Salmiah
author_facet Thareq Ahmad Alqawwiy
Maryati Salmiah
author_sort Thareq Ahmad Alqawwiy
collection DOAJ
description Vocabulary acquisition remains a persistent challenge for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, particularly in higher education settings where traditional methods often fail to engage students or promote long-term retention. In response, mobile puzzle-based learning tools such as the Figgerits application offer an alternative that integrates contextual learning and cognitive engagement. This study explores EFL university students’ perceptions of using Figgerits for vocabulary enrichment within an Indonesian tertiary context. Using a qualitative case study design, 25 English Education students from a university in Medan participated in the study over a 2–4-week period. Participants were selected purposively and provided informed consent. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and follow-up in-depth interviews, then analysed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that most students perceived Figgerits as effective across five interrelated dimensions: vocabulary breadth, depth, contextual understanding, retention and usage, and metalinguistic awareness. Students reported increased motivation and exposure to unfamiliar vocabulary through clues embedded in meaningful contexts, which encouraged repeated encounters and deeper word processing. Despite occasional difficulty with unfamiliar logic-based tasks, learners expressed strong preference for the app’s interactive and autonomous nature. These findings highlight the potential of puzzle-based, mobile-assisted tools to enhance vocabulary learning in EFL environments. Future studies should explore long-term impacts and adaptation across diverse learner profiles.
format Article
id doaj-art-3f210356ea7a41c3ae2e1ea451cfe85e
institution Kabale University
issn 2807-8195
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta
record_format Article
series Frasa
spelling doaj-art-3f210356ea7a41c3ae2e1ea451cfe85e2025-08-20T03:46:37ZengUniversitas Duta Bangsa SurakartaFrasa2807-81952025-07-016210.47701/frasa.v6i2.5044PUZZLE BASED LEARNING THROUGH FIGGERITS APPLICATION TO ENRICH EFL STUDENT VOCABULARY: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONSThareq Ahmad AlqawwiyMaryati SalmiahVocabulary acquisition remains a persistent challenge for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, particularly in higher education settings where traditional methods often fail to engage students or promote long-term retention. In response, mobile puzzle-based learning tools such as the Figgerits application offer an alternative that integrates contextual learning and cognitive engagement. This study explores EFL university students’ perceptions of using Figgerits for vocabulary enrichment within an Indonesian tertiary context. Using a qualitative case study design, 25 English Education students from a university in Medan participated in the study over a 2–4-week period. Participants were selected purposively and provided informed consent. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and follow-up in-depth interviews, then analysed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that most students perceived Figgerits as effective across five interrelated dimensions: vocabulary breadth, depth, contextual understanding, retention and usage, and metalinguistic awareness. Students reported increased motivation and exposure to unfamiliar vocabulary through clues embedded in meaningful contexts, which encouraged repeated encounters and deeper word processing. Despite occasional difficulty with unfamiliar logic-based tasks, learners expressed strong preference for the app’s interactive and autonomous nature. These findings highlight the potential of puzzle-based, mobile-assisted tools to enhance vocabulary learning in EFL environments. Future studies should explore long-term impacts and adaptation across diverse learner profiles. https://ojs.udb.ac.id/FRASA/article/view/5044EFL Learners, Vocabulary Acquisition, Mobile Learning, Figgerits, Students’ Perceptions, Puzzle-Based Learning
spellingShingle Thareq Ahmad Alqawwiy
Maryati Salmiah
PUZZLE BASED LEARNING THROUGH FIGGERITS APPLICATION TO ENRICH EFL STUDENT VOCABULARY: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS
Frasa
EFL Learners, Vocabulary Acquisition, Mobile Learning, Figgerits, Students’ Perceptions, Puzzle-Based Learning
title PUZZLE BASED LEARNING THROUGH FIGGERITS APPLICATION TO ENRICH EFL STUDENT VOCABULARY: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS
title_full PUZZLE BASED LEARNING THROUGH FIGGERITS APPLICATION TO ENRICH EFL STUDENT VOCABULARY: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS
title_fullStr PUZZLE BASED LEARNING THROUGH FIGGERITS APPLICATION TO ENRICH EFL STUDENT VOCABULARY: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS
title_full_unstemmed PUZZLE BASED LEARNING THROUGH FIGGERITS APPLICATION TO ENRICH EFL STUDENT VOCABULARY: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS
title_short PUZZLE BASED LEARNING THROUGH FIGGERITS APPLICATION TO ENRICH EFL STUDENT VOCABULARY: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS
title_sort puzzle based learning through figgerits application to enrich efl student vocabulary students perceptions
topic EFL Learners, Vocabulary Acquisition, Mobile Learning, Figgerits, Students’ Perceptions, Puzzle-Based Learning
url https://ojs.udb.ac.id/FRASA/article/view/5044
work_keys_str_mv AT thareqahmadalqawwiy puzzlebasedlearningthroughfiggeritsapplicationtoenricheflstudentvocabularystudentsperceptions
AT maryatisalmiah puzzlebasedlearningthroughfiggeritsapplicationtoenricheflstudentvocabularystudentsperceptions