By analysing this data, teachers can suggest more effective teaching methods while students can adopt better learning habits.
Provides valuable insights into the learning process
Prof. Klizienė, who researches the impact of the educational environment on students’ achievements in mathematics, says that, compared to other methods, eye-tracking provides essential data on mathematics learning – not only on the results of the learning process. This method provides insights into students’ cognitive processes.
The eye-tracking research uses special non-invasive eye-trackers and software. These devices are not harmful to the human eye and are designed to be used in the subject’s natural environment. They normally consist of three parts: a light source (usually infrared light), a gaze-tracking camera that captures flashes of the visible image reflected in the cornea and the centre of the pupil, and a processor with eye-tracking software.
Eye-tracking research provides information and allows studying cognitive processes that reflect in eye movements and could otherwise not be consciously observed and explained. “Monitoring the mathematical problem-solving process – its strategies, cognitive load, attention span and shifting – is made possible by tracking and recording eye movements, the patterns (consistency, repetition) of task reading, fixations and areas of interest,” says Klizienė.
Could be used to improve mathematical tasks
The use of eye-tracking technology can help to improve student’s academic achievements and make the learning process more productive. Having identified the patterns of task reading, educators can adapt the learning material to make it more understandable.
“By observing where students focus their gaze, we can optimise the layout of the teaching material so that the most important parts of the task are seen first. For example, if a child often skips a certain part of a task, the teaching material can be made to draw their attention to that part,” comments Paškovskė.
The learning process can be personalised by determining the level of cognitive load children experience while solving mathematical tasks and optimising and reducing it. This helps to improve learning efficiency. “Eye-tracking research provides valuable data to improve the learning process, making it more personalised, effective and engaging,” says the KTU PhD student, a co-author of the study.
The researchers claim that research-based assessment of students’ motivation allows them to identify which learning methods encourage students to be more engaged in the learning process. They hope that their research will not only improve the teaching of mathematics but also contribute to improving students’ academic performance and learning experiences.
Eye-tracking technology is becoming an important tool in education, enabling a deeper understanding of the learning processes and the development of more effective teaching methods to improve children’s acquisition of mathematical knowledge and skills.
The insights described above are based on the scientific article “Eye tracking technology on children’s mathematical education: systematic review”, published in the scientific journal “Frontiers in Education”, which can be read and downloaded here.
