A HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION (HCI) ANALYSIS OF DIGITAL DICTIONARY APPLICATIONS: A COMPARISON OF UX DESIGN AND ITS IMPACT ON VOCABULARY RETENTION
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Digital dictionaries are essential language learning tools, yet their User Experience (UX) design varies significantly. While Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) principles suggest design impacts learning, the specific empirical link between dictionary UX and long-term vocabulary retention remains underexplored. This research aims to conduct a comparative HCI analysis of leading digital dictionary applications and empirically investigate the impact of specific UX design elements on users’ vocabulary retention. A mixed-methods approach was employed. First, a heuristic evaluation based on established HCI principles was conducted on five popular applications. This was followed by a controlled user study (N=60) comparing retention rates across different designs using pre-test, post-test, and delayed recall tests over a two-week period. The heuristic analysis identified critical differences in interaction design, information hierarchy, and gamification elements. The user study demonstrated that applications integrating active recall mechanisms, such as spaced repetition and interactive quizzing, resulted in significantly higher (p < .05) long-term vocabulary retention (avg. 28% improvement) compared to minimalist-design applications. UX design in digital dictionaries is not merely aesthetic; it is a critical determinant of cognitive outcomes. The findings confirm that specific HCI design choices directly influence the effectiveness of vocabulary acquisition and long-term retention.
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