Unique contributions of eye-tracking research to the study of learning with graphics

The author examines the empirical, methodological, theoretical, and practical contributions of the six studies in this special issue on eye tracking as a tool to study and enhance multimedia learning. The design of learning environments involving graphics should be consistent with a research-based theory of how people learn and evidence-based principles of how to help people learn. Research using eye tracking offers a unique path to testing aspects of theories of multimedia learning, particularly concerning perceptual processing during learning. The studies reported in this special issue add to the evidence base on how people learn and think with graphics.     

Eye tracking methodology for studying teacher learning: a review of the research

ABSTRACT

Eye tracking methodology offers insights into human attention, decision-making processes, and user behaviours. In the context of teacher learning, data generated from eye-tracking technology has the potential to provide important information about teachers’ behavioural patterns and cognitive processes that may or may not be occurring during learning experiences. This review analyses existing studies that use eye tracking methodology for studying teacher learning. The authors accessed three different databases (ERIC, PsycNet, and EBSCOHost) for their review. An iterative process of reviewing and coding the articles led to an in-depth review of 10 recently published articles. Emergent themes resulted from the in-depth review and include information processing, multimedia learning, learning tools and resources, and expert-novice knowledge construction. The reviewed articles also highlight how eye tracking can be used to determine teachers’ engagement with learning material, reading patterns, and sense-making strategies. Additional study characteristics, including context, data sources, eye tracking device and metrics were also reviewed. Results of this review shed light on how educational researchers can effectively use eye tracking methodology to investigate teacher learning at different career stages. This, in turn, can inform educational stakeholders about how to optimize learning opportunities and environments.     

The use of eye movements in the study of multimedia learning

This commentary focuses on the use of the eye-tracking methodology to study cognitive processes during multimedia learning. First, some general remarks are made about how the method is applied to investigate visual information processing, followed by a reflection on the eye movement measures employed in the studies published in this special issue. It is argued that global eye movement measures indexing attentional and encoding processes during the entire learning period should preferably be complemented with more fine-grained analyses that are either time-locked to important events taking place in an animation or that by other means provide information about the time course of learning. As nicely documented in the present set of studies, it is also of importance to complement the eye-tracking data with offline measures indexing the end product of learning. Such a complementary approach is likely to yield important new insights into the process of multimedia learning.     

多媒体技术在《动物寄生虫病》教学中的合理应用及优势探讨

《动物寄生虫病》是畜牧兽医专业重要的专业课。动物寄生虫在日常生活中很少接触且其形态多数肉眼难以看到,因此,这使学生在学习过程中常感到乏味。在课堂教学过程中引入多媒体,可将动物寄生虫不同阶段的形态和发病部位变化直观的展示出来,但教师在教学过程中必须注意合理应用多媒体,才能发挥其优势。     

多媒体学习中视觉情绪设计对学习效果的影响——基于31项实验与准实验研究的元分析

随着信息技术的发展,多媒体与网络化教学成为现代教育的主流。多媒体教学中学习材料的情绪因素受到研究者越来越多的关注。国内外学者已开展了大量实验与准实验研究,探索在使用颜色、形状、拟人化等多种视觉元素设计的学习材料中,视觉情绪因素对学习者学习效果的影响,结论尚存争议。研究采用元分析方法,对二十年来国内外有关视觉情绪设计影响学习效果的31篇文献进行梳理与分析,并进一步从学习材料呈现步调、学习者学段和实验时长三个调节变量的影响维度进行深入探讨。研究发现:整体而言,视觉情绪设计能够促进反映学习者学习效果的保持成绩、理解成绩和迁移成绩的提高;不同呈现步调、学习者学段和实验时长对学习者学习效果的调节作用组间差异不显著。研究得到的启示:多媒体学习材料中使用饱和、高亮暖色、图片及拟人化设计,对于多媒体学习认知过程和学习效果有益。最后,在深入阅读文献的基础上,指出多媒体学习情绪设计研究中存在的问题及进一步研究的方向。     

A closer look at split visual attention in system- and self-paced instruction in multimedia learning

Two experiments examined visual attention distribution in learning from text and pictures. Participants watched a 16-step multimedia instruction on the formation of lightning. In Experiment 1 (N = 90) the instruction was system-paced (fast, medium, slow pace), while it was self-paced in Experiment 2 (N = 31). In both experiments the text modality was varied (written, spoken). During learning, the participants’ eye movements were recorded. Results from both experiments revealed that learners spent more time studying the visualizations with spoken text than those with written text. In written text conditions learners consistently started reading before alternating between text and visualization; moreover, they spent more time reading the text than inspecting the visualizations. While in Experiment 1 additional time that was made available in conditions with a slow or medium instruction pace was spent inspecting visualizations, in Experiment 2 longer learning times resulted from reading the text more intensively. With respect to learning outcomes (retention, transfer, and visual memory) Experiment 1 revealed an effect of text modality for visual memory only. In Experiment 2 no modality effects were found. Instruction pace was hardly related to learning outcomes. Overall, the results confirm prior findings suggesting that the distribution of visual attention in multimedia learning is largely guided by the text.     

Task Experience as a Boundary Condition for the Negative Effects of Irrelevant Information on Learning

Research on multimedia learning has shown that learning is hampered when a multimedia message includes extraneous information that is not relevant for the task, because processing the extraneous information uses up scarce attention and working memory resources. However, eye-tracking research suggests that task experience might be a boundary condition for this negative effect of extraneous information on learning, because people seem to learn to ignore task-irrelevant information over time. We therefore hypothesised that extraneous information might no longer hamper learning when it is present over a series of tasks, giving learners the chance to adapt their study strategy. This hypothesis was tested in three experiments. In experiments 1a/1b, participants learned the definitions of new words (from an artificial language) that denoted actions, with matching pictures (same action), mismatching pictures (another action), or without pictures. Mismatching pictures hampered learning compared with matching pictures. Experiment 2 showed that task experience may indeed be a boundary condition to this negative effect on learning: the initial negative effect was no longer present when learners gained experience with the task. This suggests that learners adapted their study strategy, ignoring the mismatching pictures. That hypothesis was tested in experiment 3, using eye tracking. Results showed that attention to the pictures waned with task experience, and that this decrease was stronger for mismatching than for matching pictures. Our findings demonstrate the importance of investigating multimedia effects over time and in relation to study strategies.     

Cognitive Load Theory: New Conceptualizations,Specifications, and Integrated Research Perspectives

Over the last few years, cognitive load theory has progressed and advanced rapidly. The articles in this special issue, which document those advances, are based on contributions to the 3rd International Cognitive Load Theory Conference (2009), Heerlen, The Netherlands. The articles of this special issue on cognitive load theory discuss new conceptualizations of the different categories of cognitive load, an integrated research perspective of process-oriented and cognitive load approaches to collaborative learning, an integrated research perspective of cognitive and social–cognitive approaches to example-based learning, and a specification of the theory focusing on the acquisition of generalized knowledge structures as a means to facilitate flexible problem-solving skills. This article provides a short introduction to the theory, discusses some of its recent advances, and provides an overview of the contributions to this issue.     

Eye tracking system for enhanced learning experiences

Nowadays, we are living in a world where information is readily available and being able to provide the learner with the best suited situations and environment for his/her learning experiences is of utmost importance. In most learning environments, information is basically available in the form of written text. According to the eye-tracking technology, eye movements, scanning patterns and pupil diameter are indicators of thought and mental processing involved during visual information extraction. Hence, learners can be supported and guided throughout their learning journey by the real-time information of the precise position of gaze and of pupil diameter. A proper interpretation and consequently an efficient monitoring or supervision of learners’ eye movements by different methods of eye tracking may lead to an enhanced learning process and experience. This research gives an insight of the various existing techniques that contribute to the improvement of the learning mechanism through proposing a real time monitoring system using image processing and eye detection techniques. To portray such a robust mechanism, a multipronged eye tracking approach has been envisioned. The system is deployed with a first identification of the user’s eyes followed by the detection of the iris and pupil movements of the latter. Subsequently, the information about the eyes and pupil movements were analysed and graphs were generated that helps in determining the interest and behaviour of the user. To evaluate the accuracy of the system, some user tests and various scenarios in different application domains have been performed by computing the tracking error rate and as a result it has been noticed that these tests yield to an acceptable efficiency rate and a True Acceptance Rate (TAR) of around 75 %. Moreover, the proposed system is a low cost system and can be compatible with any computer or laptop equipped with an ordinary web camera.     

Cognitive and affective processes in multimedia learning

This special section focuses on cognitive and affective processes in multimedia learning in a range of learning domains. Expanding previous research that has taken a predominantly cognitive perspective of multimedia learning, recent studies have begun to consider affective aspects of multimedia learning with the aim of integrating emotion, motivation, and other affective variables into cognitive processing models. The articles included in this special section are examples of the various ways in which the cognitive perspective can be enhanced by taking affective aspects of learning into account. Investigations range from the study of confusion as an affective state that can be beneficial to learning, and the consideration of the potential distracting or motivating function of decorative illustrations, to an inquiry into how visual design can induce positive emotions in learners. The results of the studies included in this section are in line with Moreno's Cognitive-Affective Theory of Learning with Media (CATLM; Moreno, 2006) and show how emotion and interest facilitate cognitive processing and improve cognitive and affective outcomes.     

An eye tracking comparison of external pointing cues and internal continuous cues in learning with complex animations

Two experiments used eye tracking to investigate a novel cueing approach for directing learner attention to low salience, high relevance aspects of a complex animation. In the first experiment, comprehension of a piano mechanism animation containing spreading-colour cues was compared with comprehension obtained with arrow cues or no cues. Eye tracking data revealed differences in learner attention patterns between the different experimental conditions. The second experiment used eye tracking with synchronized and non-synchronized cues to investigate the role of dynamic direction of attention in cueing effectiveness. Results of Experiment 1 showed that spreading-colour cues resulted in better targeting of attention to thematically relevant aspects and in higher comprehension scores than arrow cues or no cues. For Experiment 2, superior comprehension after the synchronized version together with eye tracking data indicated that cue effectiveness depended on attention direction being spatially and temporally coordinated with onsets of animation events having high thematic relevance to the learning task. The findings suggest the importance of perceptual cues and bottom-up processing.     

Higher education teachers’ professional learning: Process and outcome

In this paper, we first offer an analytic perspective on the papers in this volume, framing our discussion within the context of academic development as a discipline and highlighting common lines that cut across the nine contributions. We then offer insights about the current state of research on the evaluation of academic development and suggest directions that are likely to advance our theoretical and empirical knowledge in this area and anchor us firmly in evidence-based practice. We suggest that clarifying the mechanisms of change when professional learning occurs and measuring the changes in student learning outcomes that are associated with professional learning are important avenues for future research.     

Facilitators or suppressors: Effects of experimentally induced emotions on multimedia learning

The present study investigated the influence of experimentally induced emotions (positive, neutral, negative) on learning with multimedia instruction with N = 75 university students. In order to provide sound explanations about how emotional state might impact learning, measures of motivation, cognitive load, and attentional processes (eye tracking) were integrated. Results showed that while emotions did not influence retention, emotions did influence outcomes of the comprehension and transfer test. Specifically, a facilitating effect of an induced negative emotional state on learning outcomes was observed, which could be attributed to a more focused and detailed information processing. In contrast, an induced positive emotional state had a suppressing effect on learning outcomes since learners were distracted from the learning materials by their emotions. Motivational measures were not influenced by learners' different emotional states, but overall, controlled motivation increased and autonomous motivation decreased during learning. In sum, the learners' emotional state should be considered in learning research as an important predictor for learning success.     

Attention guidance in learning from a complex animation: Seeing is understanding?

To examine how visual attentional resources are allocated when learning from a complex animation about the cardiovascular system, eye movements were registered in the absence and presence of visual cues. Cognitive processing was assessed using cued retrospective reporting, whereas comprehension and transfer tests measured the quality of the constructed representation. Within the framework of Cognitive Load Theory, visual cues highlighting the subsystems of the heart were hypothesized to guide attention, reduce visual search and extraneous cognitive load, and enhance learning. As predicted, learners looked more often and longer at cued parts. However, we found no effects of cueing on visual search and cognitive load. With respect to cognitive processing, performance differences were found on the number of statements in the learners’ verbal reports. These findings suggest that visual cueing can guide attention in an animation, but other factors are also important in determining the effectiveness of visual cues on learning.     

眼动追踪技术在高校课堂教学中的应用研究

近些年,眼动追踪技术发展迅速并已在诸多领域得以应用。基于此,文章开展了眼动追踪技术在教学领域应用的研究,通过眼动追踪技术得到可视化的关注热点图及兴趣区域关注度,并以此为依据,文章分别研究了手机、投影仪及传统板书三种教学内容呈现方式及教室空间位置对学生注意力的影响,以及眼动追踪技术在实验教学中的应用。实验结果表明,眼动追踪技术与教学的融合,能够为优选教学内容呈现方式、扩大教室“黄金区域”、开展对实验操作的过程性评价、提高教学质量、推进课堂革命提供有力支持。     

Team regulation, regulation of social activities or co-regulation: Different labels for effective regulation of learning in CSCL

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is an approach to learning in which learners can actively and collaboratively construct knowledge by means of interaction and joint problem solving. Regulation of learning is especially important in the domain of CSCL. Next to the regulation of task performance, the interaction between learners who work in a CSCL environment needs to be regulated as well. Despite its importance, the regulation of learning in CSCL has received relatively little attention in research. In the contributions of this special issue different labels are used for various forms of regulation of learning during CSCL. During collaborative learning, the regulation of activities can take place at different levels of social interaction: the individual level, the dyadic level, and the group level. Regulative activities of all three levels are presented in the three studies. All studies have investigated whether the use of regulative activities affected performance, and have found that regulation at the dyadic and/or group level was positively related to group performance. In sum, these three contributions provide a constructive overview of the role of regulation of the (collaborative) learning process in CSCL, both in terms of the impact of regulation on learning processes and learning results as well as the influence of different kinds of support on the regulation of collaborative learning.     

教学视频中线索类型与学习者先前知识经验对学习的交互影响

教学视频因其多通道展现教学内容的特性而成为数字化学习资源的首选形态。线索作为教学视频中的重要引导性教学设计手段,探究其类型及学习者先前知识经验对学习效果的交互影响,有益于优化教学视频的设计策略。基于学习者先前知识经验水平(高水平和低水平)和线索类型(言语线索和视觉线索)两个维度,运用眼动追踪技术和认知负荷、学习满意度、学习效果等测量工具,通过实验考察二者对学习的影响及其内在机制后发现:学习者先前知识经验水平对认知负荷的影响显著;线索类型对学习满意度的影响显著,且线索类型与学习者先前知识经验水平在学习满意度上的交互效应显著;学习者先前知识经验水平对学习效果的影响显著,且线索类型与学习者先前知识经验水平在迁移测验成绩上的交互效应显著。实验结果表明,线索类型与学习者先前知识经验水平对学习满意度和学习效果存在明显的交互作用,即只有低知识经验水平学习者在学习含有视觉线索的教学视频后,学习满意度与学习效果才有显著提升。这可能是由于该类学习者在信息选择时存在困难,视觉线索可以帮助其提高信息搜索效率,而言语线索却会使其认知负荷超载。     

Using saliency maps to separate competing processes in infant visual cognition

This article presents an eye‐tracking study using a novel combination of visual saliency maps and “area‐of‐interest” analyses to explore online feature extraction during category learning in infants. Category learning in 12‐month‐olds (N = 22) involved a transition from looking at high‐saliency image regions to looking at more informative, highly variable object parts. In contrast, 4‐month‐olds (N = 27) exhibited a different pattern displaying a similar decreasing impact of saliency accompanied by a steady focus on the object’s center, indicating that targeted feature extraction during category learning develops across the 1st year of life. These results illustrate how the effects of lower and higher level processes may be disentangled using a combined saliency map and area‐of‐interest analysis.     

哲学视阈下的学习支持

随着多媒体技术的发展,对学习支持的研究也得到了广泛关注并随着学习理论的发展而逐步深入。在分析两种不同导向的学习概念的基础上,探讨了不同哲学观对学习支持的不同隐喻,分别论述了客观主义知识观、主观主义知识观基础上对学习支持的理解和使用策略,并在此基础上探讨新的知识观视阈下学习支持的特征。     

What is the effect of talking heads in educational videos with different types of narrated slides?

Video-based learning plays an increasingly important role and thus the optimal design of video-based learning materials attracts the attention of scientists and practitioners alike. In this context, producers of educational videos often include a talking head in their videos, although theory (e.g., cognitive theory of multimedia learning) also suggests potential disadvantages for this format. Since talking heads attract a lot of visual attention, further empirical research is necessary to investigate whether a talking head can hinder learning, especially presented next to graphic-based learning content. To address this research gap, we conducted two online experiments to investigate the effects of a talking head in educational videos with narrated slides (short slideshow lectures) on learning outcomes (i.e., factual knowledge acquisition) and participants’ subjective ratings of the learning material (e.g., perceived learning). In Experiment 1 (N = 96), we varied whether the instructor’s talking head was present or absent in the videos as a between-factor, and whether the visual content on the slides was graphic-based (pictures, diagrams, maps) or text-based (bullet points) as a within-factor (slide type). In Experiment 2 (N = 184), we additionally varied as a between-factor whether the contents appeared sequentially or statically all at once (presentation type). Our results showed that the talking head did not affect learning outcomes, regardless of slide type and presentation type of the videos suggesting that the inclusion of a talking head offers neither clear advantages nor disadvantages. Potential explanations for the findings and directions for future research are discussed.