A Systematic Literature Review of Technology-Assisted Vocabulary Learning

BackgroundVocabulary learning is an essential dimension of foreign language learning. The learners have a huge responsibility in this task. Among other factors, time constraints and an overall lack of maintained motivation on the part of students makes it especially challenging. Consequently, improving vocabulary learning requires strategies to motivate learners and encourage autonomous learning. Technology-Assisted Vocabulary Learning (tavl) aims to provide solutions to this set of problems.ObjectivesWe aim to provide an overview of the different types of TAVL tools developed and studied since 2015 with regard to (1) tool features, (2) observed variables and research methods used in the studies and (3) impact on learners' vocabulary acquisition, motivation and engagement.MethodWe conducted a systematic review of the literature between 2015 and 2023 on TAVL. After delineating our field of study and research query, we followed a rigorous methodology to extract relevant papers to answer our research questions. A total of 44 papers of different languages and academic levels were selected for this review.Results and ConclusionsWe report a wide variety of features provided by TAVL tools in various contexts. We observe an overall positive influence of TAVL tools on learners' vocabulary learning, motivation, flow and engagement. We also discuss potential biases in the studies, which do not allow generalisation of the results. We conclude with recommendations for developers and researchers, including the use of more standardised experimental protocols with comparable measures, the integration of collaborative and social features, and a more central role for teachers and academic learning contexts.