The use of eye tracking in research on video-based second language (L2) listening assessment: A comparison of context videos and content videos

Abstract

Investigating how visuals affect test takers’ performance on video-based L2 listening tests has been the focus of many recent studies. While most existing research has been based on test scores and self-reported verbal data, few studies have examined test takers’ viewing behavior (Ockey, 2007; Wagner, 2007, 2010a). To address this gap, in the present study I employ eye-tracking technology to record the eye movements of 33 test takers during the Video-based Academic Listening Test (VALT). Specifically, I aim to explore test takers’ oculomotor engagement with two types of videos – context videos and content videos – from the VALT, and the relationship between the test takers’ viewing behavior and test performance. Eye-tracking measures comprising fixation rate, dwell rate, and the total dwell time for context and content videos were compared using paired-samples t-tests. Additionally, each measure was correlated with test scores for items associated with each video type. Results revealed statistically significant differences between fixation rates and between total dwell time values, but no difference between the dwell rates for context and content videos. No statistically significant relationship was found between the three eye-tracking measures and the test scores. Directions for future research on video-based L2 listening assessment are discussed.

Testing audiovisual comprehension tasks with questions embedded in videos as subtitles: a pilot multimethod study

“…These authors recorded the participants while taking the tests and they measured the amount of time informants look towards the monitor. Suvorov (2015) uses eye-tracking technology to investigate how examinees interact with two types of videos: context videos and content videos. He discovers that test-takers spend 58% of the time watching content videos and 51% context videos.…”

Using Video in Web-Based Listening Tests

“…As for the video, there were mixed results: three participants expressed that when they saw the speaker's lip movements they comprehend the information better; two participants used gestures to alert them of topic changes; and four used facial gestures to understand the speaker's opinion about a topic. Suvorov (2014) Other studies that also have examined the impact of the use of video on listening performance have reported other results. Wagner (2007) reported that video is not a distraction and participants performed better on tests with video input.…”

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“…Por ejemplo, en el estudio de Ockey (2007) la media de observación es el 44.9% del tiempo, y en los de Wagner (2007Wagner ( , 2010b el 69% y el 47.9%, respectivamente. En un estudio reciente, Suvorov (2015) utiliza tecnología de seguimiento ocular para investigar la conducta visual en dos tipos de textos audiovisuales: context videos (lo visual proporciona información sobre la situación comunicativa) y content videos (la información visual está relacionada con la verbal). En el primer caso, los participantes ven el vídeo el 50.70% del tiempo y, en el segundo, el 57.99%.…”