The Effect of Digital Games on Vocabulary Learning

Has it ever happened that you were watching a movie or reading a book and you came across a word that you didn't know but inferred from its context? (That is incidental language learning) Just like that, digital games provide us with avenues for learning new words in our second language incidentally. So... my research focuses on investigating how these games impact vocabulary learning, particularly in the context of second language acquisition

Nope! What a lot of us think of when we hear the phrase games for learning are educational games - those with boring UIs and isolated sentence structures where we learn new words each day... Coming to my side of the table, I want to look at games that are produced commercially (basically for everyone). These are called COTS (or Commercial Off-The-Shelf games) and the language in their narratives occurs naturally... More opportunities for incidental learning!  

Essentially, Yes! My study will involve conducting an experiment using a mixed methodology approach. This means I will combine quantitative data collection with qualitative interviews to gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

I have completed my coursework with a CGPA of 9.8 and have passed my comprehensive exam. Additionally, I have also successfully defended my research proposal seminar.

My PhD supervisor is Prof. Rahul D R at the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad. He is a distinguished scholar with a keen interest in exploring the cognitive processes underlying the acquisition and learning of various measures of language, particularly focusing on subskills such as reading and vocabulary. You can find more information about our lab group at https://people.iitism.ac.in/~rahuldr/

Beyond my doctoral studies, I aim to continue exploring the intersection of technology and education, focusing on innovative approaches to language learning

I am open to collaborations with fellow researchers, educators, and game developers who share an interest in exploring the potential of digital games for language learning. Feel free to reach out if you are interested in collaborating or exchanging ideas.

You can send me an email at sofiyashahiwala@gmail.com or 23dr0170@iitism.ac.in,
or send a Hi on either of my social platforms!