Researching Students Gifted in Science Using the Method of Eye Tracking

Abstract

Eye Tracking is a modern diagnostic method which has been recently applied in several studies. This method is based on observing human eye movement, monitoring a spot an eye is focused on, its distance, or the time duration of such focus. The course of the look, the sequence of eye fixations and movement can be widely used in cognitive sciences. This is where we class the area of pedagogical-psychological research of gifted students. A recent pilot study of gifted students using the Eye Tracking method aimed to answer the question regarding whether it was possible to monitor the text and image processing of students gifted in science. Students participating in the study were given texts and images on a screen and asked to solve various learning tasks. Meanwhile, the processes they used to perceive the text and images were recorded. The goal of our research was to analyse the way students worked with the text, including details like whether they return to certain spots and how many tim