From lab to math classroom: Utilizing eye gaze and cognitive control tasks to examine the effects of perceptual cues and structure on mathematical performance

在数学问题解决中使用知觉线索已经被证明可以提高学生的表现。注意力和执行功能技能是解释知觉支持如何以及对谁产生最大影响的两种潜在机制。然而，在教育环境中测量学生的执行功能，注意力和认知控制具有挑战性。使用更可扩展和负担得起的基于网络的工具，如开源的执行功能和眼睛注视测量，提供了一种了解与数学相关的认知处理的个体差异的方法。该项目旨在通过研究开源工具，如眼睛注视/跟踪器和执行功能/认知控制措施可以嵌入在线技术平台，以进行生态有效的课堂研究。为了将研究从实验室转移到拥有更广泛人群的教室并测试机制，将进行两项研究。第一项研究将确定对大学生在线使用开源眼动追踪（Webgazer）和执行功能测量（ACE-X）的可用性和可行性。第二项研究将在中学生的课堂情境中检验这些关系。通过使用转化研究，调查关键的潜在的主持人和调解人，这项工作可以有助于研究注意力和执行功能如何影响学生在数学问题解决过程中使用知觉支架。该项目的成果还将指导在教育领域进行转化研究的方法，并可能为未来的教育干预或技术支持设计提供信息。这个项目是通过与比尔梅林达盖茨基金会，施密特期货，沃尔顿家族基金会的合作伙伴关系支持。该项目也得到了NSF的EDU核心研究STEM教育研究能力建设的支持（ECR：BCSER）计划，旨在培养研究人员在STEM学习和学习环境的核心领域开展高质量STEM教育研究的能力，扩大STEM领域的参与，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Using perceptual cues in mathematical problem solving has been shown to improve students' performance. Attention and executive function skills are two potential mechanisms that explain how and for whom perceptual supports have the greatest impact. However, measuring executive function, attention, and cognitive control with students in educational settings is challenging. Using more scalable and affordable web-based tools such as open-source executive function and eye gaze measures provides a means to understand individual differences in cognitive processing related to math. This project aims to build capacity and expertise in the principal investigator's research on perceptual learning in mathematics by examining how open source tools such as eye gaze/trackers and executive function/cognitive control measures can be embedded into online technology platforms to conduct ecologically valid classroom-based research. To move research from the lab to classrooms with broader populations and to test mechanisms, two studies will be conducted. The first study will establish the usability and feasibility of using open-source eye tracking (Webgazer) and executive function measures (ACE-X) online with college students. The second study will test these relations in classroom contexts with middle school students. By using translational research to investigate key potential moderators and mediators, this work can contribute to research on how attention and executive function impact student use of perceptual scaffolds during mathematics problem solving. The outcomes of this project will also guide methods to conduct translational research in education and may also inform the future design of educational interventions or technology supports. This project is supported through a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Schmidt Futures, and the Walton Family Foundation. This project is also supported by NSF's EDU Core Research Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (ECR: BCSER) program, which is designed to build investigators' capacity to carry out high-quality STEM education research in the core areas of STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM fields, and STEM workforce development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.