The use of eye-tracking technology to identify visualisers and verbalisers: accuracy and contributing factors. Issue 2 (8th June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luo, Zhanni; O'Steen, Billy; Brown, Cheryl
• Is Part Of: Interactive technology and smart education. Volume 17:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 229
• Page End: 247
• Publication Date: 2020-06-08
• Subjects: Eye-tracking -- Accuracy -- Learning style identification -- Adaptive learning systems -- Visual and verbal; Interactive multimedia -- Periodicals; Educational technology -- Periodicals; 006.7
• DOI: 10.1108/ITSE-12-2019-0087
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-5659

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: To build adaptive learning systems for a better learning experience, designers need to identify users' behaviour patterns and provide adaptive learning materials accordingly. This study involved a quasi-experiment and also this paper aims to investigate the accuracy of eye-tracking technology in identifying visualisers and verbalisers and the contributing factors to diverse levels of accuracy, which lays the foundation for the establishment of adaptive learning systems. Design/methodology/approach: The authors prepared eight documents with different image-text combinations with the intention of triggering participants' natural reading habits. By analysing the eye-movement data, this author categorised the 22 participants as visualisers or verbalisers. The results were compared for accuracy measure with participants' self-reports in response to the index of learning style questionnaire. Findings: The results showed that visualisers and verbalisers presented significantly different eye-movement patterns, which was confirmed by the fixation data from the Tobii eye-tracker with the detection accuracy ranged from 38% to 77%. Various factors contributed to a range of levels of accuracy, including highlighted elements, learning context, complex background, low relevance of images and texts, learner differences, awareness of experimental settings, self-conception and prior knowledge. Originality/value: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper investigating the feasibility of eye-tracking technology to identify visualisers and verbalisers for the development of adaptive learning systems.