Improvement of teaching techniques by eye tracking in technology enhanced classrooms Erasmus Project

Project Title

Improvement of teaching techniques by eye tracking in technology enhanced classrooms

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Research and innovation; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

New tools and devices are developed and put in front of human use. In a study, which is performed by Gunuc and Kuzu (2015) it is reported that there exists a positive relationship between student engagement and technology use in class. Mashhadi and Kargozari (2010) defined the technological devices that support teaching in classroom as; software, programs, networks, web, video player, data projector, overhead, computer, television monitors, and so forth. During this technological change, teachers are the primary users of technology in the classroom, and they are much critical than the technology that is being used. Kirkwood and Price (2013) and Koc (2013) also stated the change will be promoted by teachers. Many previous studies revealed that teachers do not have the necessary skills for using these new technological devices and they try to escape from using ETEs in their classes.
Teachers are very critical in the usage of the equipment provided in the classroom. But in the reality, the usage of technology by teachers is not as high as expected. Muir-Herzig (2003) reported that there is an extremely low means of technology use among teachers, and training is needed for the teachers to apply technology as a tool for their curriculum. And she also told that teachers need to receive basic training before technology is placed in the classrooms. It may not be enough the make the classrooms educational technology equipped; teachers should be trained before for the beneficial usage of these equipment in teaching lessons.
The last output O5 of the project which is the learning contents consisting of In-class technology interaction practices will be disseminated by multiplier events in every participating country. Further dissemination will be realized from the project web site on the Internet. The development of the digital learning contents, project web site and hosting of those materials are in the Applicant’s responsibility. The project site and contents will support 5 language of the participating countries and English which will also allow for other European Countries to benefit from the outputs.
Eye movement data for expert and novice teachers in four different countries will be collected during their classes and compared in order to reveal expertize in teaching with ETEs. The proposed methods and techniques that are used by experts from different countries will be compared and a common suggestion will be proposed. The different teaching techniques that are used in different geographical regions of the Europe will be determined and reported. These outputs will be used to design and develop pilot e-learning contents for the in-class technology interaction practices. In the pilot study, the e-learning contents will be used for the education of the novice teachers. The pilot phase of output O5 which are the results of A18 will be used for the education of the novice teachers from P6 Cenk Yakın Ortaokulu. After being educated; The novice teachers’ eye movements, and behaviors (jests and mimics) before the activity will be compared with their eye movements after the activity. This will also be the evaluation of the overall project outputs.
Participants and participating organizations will acquire the knowledge of benefitting from eye tracking technology determining unconscious expert knowledge. Target groups; that are VET providers, Teachers, academicians, technical schools and university departments will acquire the knowledge of teaching their lessons with ETE. Our primary number of participants is 340, but the overall and achievable number of teachers is about 1.875.000 in participating countries. This number would increase across Europe, since the result will be usable and available across Europe.
The expected impact of our project is to fulfill this lack of knowledge of teachers. By using the results of this project; teachers will be enabled to make use of new technology in their lessons. The indirect beneficiaries of this project are children that are educated in technology enabled classrooms, which become highly popular in many of the European countries.
Key personnel of the P2 DamaSistem; Ozgur ESEN is currently studying PhD in Instructional Technology. The Subject of his PhD Thesis is “Comparison of Expert and Novice Teachers’ Behaviors In an Educational Technology Equipped Classroom With Eye Tracking“ which is consistent with this proposal’s subject. The key personnel of METU Prof. Dr. Kursat Cagiltay is the supervisor of that PhD thesis. Analysis of classroom dynamics with eye tracking technology is a very new topic and there is very limited research on this area. Since these research results will be easily applied to the teaching practice, it will have a very high impact on education. So, the results of the project will be easily published in high impact journals and presented in high quality conferences and on the Erasmus+ dissemination platform.
(PS:References are given as a separate file)

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 318047 Eur

Project Coordinator

MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY & Country: TR

Project Partners

• Damasistem Yazilim, Bilisim, Egitim, Danismanlik Ar-Ge ve Tic. Ltd. Sti.
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI SALERNO
• Druskininku “Saules” pagrindine mokykla
• Cenk Yakin Ortaokulu
• OGRETMEN AKADEMISI VAKFI
• ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO GRAGNANO 3 STAGLIE PARCO IMPERIALE
• MINISTRY OF NATIONAL EDUCATION