Study of the Problem Solving Process with a Graph about 'Motion' by Using an Eye Tracking Device

Abstract

In order to investigate objectively and quantitatively the process of interpreting a graph related to the motion by middle school students, we introduced the eye tracking method, and we compared the result of eye tracking with the students' understanding of the graph. Two graphs representing the relationship between time, position, and speed were selected at the middle school level, and a total of six items were developed, these for each of two graghs. The eye tracking equipment was the SMI REDn scientific, and a total of 58 eighth-grade students who had already learned the 'motion' unit were included in this study. The students who had a good understanding of the graphs were found to focus on the graph more than the text, to visit the graph more frequently, and to have a higher number of fixations on the key areas in the graph. On the other hand, students with low understanding of the graphs were found to focus on the text area rather than the graph and to have a significantly lower number of fixations on the key areas in the graph.