Exit-interview

“The interview is the most often used method in qualitative enquiries” (Dörnyei, 2007, p.134). Interviews can be classified by type and structure. For example, the four main types of interviews are the single- or multiple-session interview, structured interview, semi-structured interview, and unstructured interview (Dörnyei, 2007). Researchers select the type of interview best suited to the purpose of the data collection. For example, in a single- or multiple-session interview, the researcher may obtain enough data in the first session or may conduct further sessions depending on the depth and breadth required of the data. In the second type, degree of structure, a highly structured interview follows determined guidelines and questions are selected based on pre-identified criteria. Unlike a structured interview, an unstructured interview

“allows maximum flexibility to follow the interviewee in unpredictable directions, with only minimal interference from research agenda” (Dörnyei, 2007, p.135). It is believed that an unstructured interview may be comfortable for the interviewee and lead to the elicitation of deeper and broader data. And finally, between the two extremes, i.e., the structured and unstructured interview, is the semi-structured interview, which is the commonest type in applied linguistics.

In a semi-structured interview, “although there is a set of pre-prepared guiding questions and prompts, the format is open-ended, and the interviewee is encouraged to elaborate on the issues raised in an exploratory manner” (Dörnyei, 2007, 136). In other words, it not only guides the interviewee, based, for instance, on scientific agendas for eliciting critical and valuable data, but it also gives the interviewer enough freedom to express new ideas during the interview.

Therefore, the type of interview depends on the manner and purpose of the data collection.

In this study, two types of questions were asked in a researcher-designed semi-structured interview. The first type were general questions aimed at eliciting more information about the processes and strategies that participants used for either learning or understanding the target new words during their task

performance such as, “Has this video game helped you to remember / learn new words easily? If so, how?”. The second type were questions formulated on the basis of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (Mayer & Moreno, 2003).

Thus, I adjusted my questions to its underlying assumptions, which are determining factors in either the success or failure of any multimedia learning context. These questions not only further informed me about the participants’

online processes during their task performance but also assisted me in checking and controlling for the effect of the multimedia learning factors. In this theory, the human mind works based on three assumptions: dual channel, limited capacity, and active processing. Mayer and Moreno (2003) explain these as follows: 1) dual channel means that “humans possess separate information processing channels for verbal and visual material”; 2) limited capacity refers to the fact that “there is only a limited amount of processing capacity available in the verbal and visual channels”; and 3) active processing assumes that “[meaningful] learning requires substantial cognitive processing in the verbal and visual channels” (p. 44). These assumptions are drawn from different theories, for example, the dual channel assumption is based on Paivio’s dual coding theory, which was explained in section 2.4.3. The idea of limited capacity is adopted from Sweller’s (2010) cognitive load theory, where he posits that either too high or too low a cognitive load may have negative effects on learning comparing to balanced cognitive load, which he calls a germane load. Mayer and Moreno (2003, p. 44) associate active processing assumption with “Wittrock’s (1989) generative-learning theory and Mayer’s (1999, 2002) selecting–organizing–integrating theory of active learning”.

The processes, in this assumption, “include paying attention to the presented material, mentally organizing the presented material into a coherent structure, and integrating the presented material with existing knowledge”. According to Mayer and Moreno’s (2003) theory, both the visual and the auditory inputs can be modified and controlled, in all three assumptions, either to increase the applicability and effectiveness of the multimedia materials used or to reduce the effect of undesired factors that decrease the quality of learning via multimedia in educational contexts. Bearing all the above in my mind, I formulated my interview questions.

In sum, I designed a semi-structured interview to obtain more and deeper information about the processes and strategies that participants follow in completing set vocabulary acquisition tasks.

Digital games are currently a highly popular form of media entertainment. From the 1980s to the end of the first decade of the new millennium, the average amount of time spent playing digital games has risen from 4.5 to 9 hours per week in the United States (Dehaan, Reed, & Kuwada, 2010). The growing global popularity of digital games among people has stimulated the curiosity and interest of researchers, who see digital games as another avenue for research and study in a safe ‘virtual environment’ (Kirriemuir, 2002).

Following this new trend, applied linguists and language acquisition experts have also researched the digital game phenomenon. They have found that digital games can offer precious opportunities for language acquisition via such factors as repetition, contextual clues, transfer, motivation, awareness, controllability, active engagement, comprehensible target language input, learner-centered situations, negotiation, reduction of affective variables, collaborative dialogues, community of practice, experimental learning, mediation, and motivation (deHaan, 2005; Yildiz & Trugut, 2009; Pasfield‐ Neofitou, 2014).

Among the opportunities that digital games offer language learners is that of vocabulary enhancement, a crucial component of language acquisition.

However, owing to the multidimensional and complex nature of vocabulary acquisition, the digital game effect may not be as straightforward as one might be led to expect. However, before addressing the reasons why, in the realm of vocabulary acquisition, digital games may have differing effects, I will discuss the nature of digital games, their roles in acquisition, and the rationale behind them in education, general learning, language acquisition generally, and vocabulary acquisition. Thus, in this section of the thesis, I provide an overview of digital game studies, first discussing the terminology used and then reviewing the literature.

AND ACQUISITION