Assessing Representational Competence with Eye Tracking Technology

Although it may appear trivial, the first step in developing representational competence is literally looking at a representation. This chapter focuses on eye tracking technology as a tool for assessing visual attention while using representations, particularly with regard to understanding the underlying cognitive processes of representational competence. This technology is not new, but its use is expanding in science education. We give an overview of how eye tracking technology works, what it can measure, and how this type of data can be used as evidence for representation use. In combination with verbal and written data, eye tracking technology might be able to more finely distinguish between novices and experts in the visual use of representations and capture levels of representational competence. We synthesize what has been learned from past uses of this technology in science education and provide insights for potential future uses as an assessment of representational competence to help further this field.

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