Exploring the possibilities of eye-trackers in education

This chapter seeks to study the “where” of visual attention in learning environments and explores the use of eye-tracking as a possible method to study learning and engagement in the form of an exploratory case study in the context of a programming workshop. Advances in the field of eye-tracking has led the way towards less invasive measures of obtaining eye-tracking data, affording novel opportunities to bring eye-movement research from the laboratories into the “real world”. This study used an eye-tracker headset developed by Pupil Labs to capture the gaze patterns of a participant in a Scratch programming workshop in terms of fixation points. The data were then reviewed using the Pupil Player software and subsequently coded. Based on the data obtained, it was found that different segments of the workshop led to differing fixation points. These preliminary findings provide valuable insights into the use of physiological measures for learning. For instance, educators can use such information to determine whether they are sufficiently engaged in their material and to have a deeper understanding on students’ path of attention in their lessons. Despite it being an exploratory study, the insights gained can pave the way for numerous possibilities to obtain more nuanced and valuable data on student learning, attention and engagement, furthering the importance of the field of Science of Learning in Education.