The Effect of Google Gemini-Assisted Contextual IT Vocabulary Learning on Reading Comprehension of English Technical Texts among Informatics Engineering Students

Abstract: Reading comprehension of English technical texts is an essential competency for Informatics Engineering students, as most academic literature, software documentation, and technological resources are published in English. However, limited mastery of technical vocabulary often hinders students’ ability to understand such texts effectively. This study aimed to investigate the effect of using Google Gemini as a contextual explanation tool for Information Technology (IT) vocabulary on students’ reading comprehension of English technical texts and to examine students’ perceptions of its effectiveness. The study employed a quantitative approach using a pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design. Twenty-three undergraduate students from the Informatics Engineering Study Program participated in the research. Data were collected through reading comprehension tests administered before and after the intervention, as well as a students’ perception questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired-samples t-test. The findings revealed that the mean reading comprehension score increased from 65.00 on the pretest to 82.83 on the posttest. The paired-samples t-test indicated that the improvement was statistically significant (t(22) = 12.736, p < .001) with a large effect size. Furthermore, the questionnaire results indicated that students held positive perceptions regarding the usefulness, ease of use, learning effectiveness, and motivational value of Google Gemini in facilitating contextual understanding of IT vocabulary. These findings suggest that Google Gemini has considerable potential as an AI-assisted learning tool to support English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instruction, particularly in improving the reading comprehension of English technical texts among Informatics Engineering students.
Keywords:
Google Gemini, generative artificial intelligence, Information Technology vocabulary, reading comprehension, English for Specific Purposes