A visual interactive reading system based on eye tracking technology to improve digital reading performance
| Published date | 05 August 2019 |
| Pages | 680-702 |
| Date | 05 August 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-03-2019-0059 |
| Author | Chih-Ming Chen,Jung-Ying Wang,Yu-Chieh Lin |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
A visual interactive reading
system based on eye tracking
technology to improve digital
reading performance
Chih-Ming Chen
Graduate Institute of Library, Information and Archival Studies, National
Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan
Jung-Ying Wang
Lunghwa University of Science and Technology, Guishan, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, and
Yu-Chieh Lin
National Chengchi University, Taipei City, Taiwan
Abstract
Purpose –Developing attention-aware systems and interfaces based on eye tracking technology could
revolutionize mainstream human–computer interaction to make the interaction between human beings and
computers more intuitive, effective and immersive than can be achieved traditionally using a computer
mouse. This paper aims to propose an eye-controlled interactive reading system (ECIRS) that uses human
eyes insteadof the traditional mouse to control digital text to support screen-baseddigital reading.
Design/methodology/approach –This study uses a quasi-experimental design to examine the effects of
an experimental group and a control group of learners who, respectively, used the ECIRS and a mouse-controlled
interactive reading system (MCIRS) to conduct their reading of two types of English-language text online –pure
text and Q&A-type articles on reading comprehension, cognitive load, technology acceptance, and reading
behavioural characteristics. Additionally, the effects of learners with field-independent (FI) and field-dependence
(FD) cognitive styles who, respectively, used the ECIRS and MCIRS to conduct their reading of two types of
English-language text online –pure text and Q&A-type articles on reading comprehension are also examined.
Findings –Analytical results reveal that the reading comprehension of learners in the experimental group
significantly exceededthose in the controlgroup for theQ&A article, but thedifference wasinsignificant for the
pure textarticle. Moreover,the ECIRS improved thereading comprehensionof field-independentlearners more
than it did that of field-dependent learners. Moreover,neither the cognitive loadsof the two groups nor their
acceptance of the technology differed significantly, whereas the reading time of the experimental group
significantly exceededthat of the control group.Interestingly,for all articles, thecontrol group of learnersread
mostlyfrom top to bottom withoutrepetition,whereas most of thelearners in the experimental groupread most
paragraphsmore thanonce. Clearly, theproposed ECIRSsupports deeper digitalreading thandoes the MCIRS.
Originality/value –This study proposes an emerging ECIRS that can automatically provide
supplementaryinformation to a reader and control a readingtext based on a reader’s eye movement to replace
the widely used mouse-controlledreading system on a computer screen to effectivelysupport digital reading
for English language learning.The implications of this study are that the highly interactivereading patterns
of digital text with ECIRS supportincrease motivation and willingness to learn while giving learners a more
intuitive and natural reading experience as well as reading an article online with ECIRS support guides
learners’attention in deeper digital reading than does the MCIRS because of simultaneously integrating
perceptualand cognitive processes of selection, awareness and controlbased on human eye movement.
Keywords Human–computer interaction, Digital reading, Eye tracking technology,
Reading behaviour analysis
Paper type Research paper
EL
37,4
680
Received5 March 2019
Revised16 May 2019
Accepted5 July 2019
TheElectronic Library
Vol.37 No. 4, 2019
pp. 680-702
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/EL-03-2019-0059
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0264-0473.htm
1. Introduction
As more reading is done digitally, the improvement of digital reading competence and the
development of an effective digital reading mode for students have attracted increasing
attention in the field of e-learning in recent years. Digital reading involves not only static
text and images but also audio, video and animation. Digital reading has some powerful
advantages over traditional print reading, such as interactivity, nonlinearity, and
immediacy of accessing information (Liu, 2012). However, several studies agreed that
screen-based reading islikely to be shallow, associated with short attention spans,and poor
comprehension (Carr, 2010;Liu, 2005;Wolf and Barzillai, 2009). Encouragingly, Chen and
Chen (2014) presented a collaborative reading annotation system witha reading annotation
and interactive discussion scaffold (CRAS-RAIDS) to improve reading performance in
collaborative digital reading environments. They demonstrated that learners who used the
CRAS-RAIDS to support collaborativedigital reading significantly outperformed those who
used the traditional paper-based reading annotation method and face-to-face discussions in
direct and explicit comprehension, inferential comprehension performance and use of a
reading strategy. Oliveira et al. (2014) presented a case study on digital reading (an
e-textbook) in a primary educationclassroom. They found that all students who participated
in their experiment liked the e-textbook, and they were willing to use it instead of a
traditional textbook, butthey expressed that the e-textbook did not have enough interactive
features to support digital reading. Liu (2012) argued that five areas –digital reading
behaviour, print vs digital, preferred reading medium, multi-tasking and learning and
technological advancement and traditional attachment –are worthy of study in the field of
digital reading. Obviously, technological advances in digital reading are highly worthy of
investigation.
The different devices (e.g. mobile phones, smart watches, head-mounted displays) that
human beings use to access information in daily life have played an important role in
shaping their reading habits. Therefore, alternative methods to present textual information
for different kinds of devices have become crucial to facilitate information consumption
while preserving our capacityto capture the meaning of what we read for learning. Reading
for learning means that the reading process can be closelyconnected to the learning process
and thus the quality and depth of knowledgeconstruction can be impressive when reading.
Castelhano and Muter (2001) summarized that the methods of presenting textual
information to readers for learning using different kinds of devices include the moving
window, the times square, the linestepping, the sentence-by-sentence, and the rapid serial
visual presentation (RSVP). Among those methods, the RSVP represents one of the main
alternatives, as it consistsof displaying one or more words at a time and in sequential order,
thus minimizing the eye movements including saccades and eye blinks generated during
reading, and increasing the attentional focus. However, Benedetto et al.’s(2015)study
indicated that the RSVP negatively affected literal comprehension in the case of Spritz due
to suppressing parafoveal processing and regressions (i.e. re-readings of words).
Furthermore, the important reduction of eye blinks observed for Spritz might contribute to
the increase of visual fatigue. Moreover, Chen and Lin (2016) designed a mobile reading
experiment with a two-factor experimental design to assess the effects of the selected static
(i.e. paging display type), dynamic(i.e. auto-scrolling display type), and designed mixed text
display types (i.e. both static and dynamic text display type), which were respectively
presented in sitting, standing, and walking contexts, on reading comprehension, sustained
attention and cognitive load of learners. Their study concluded that the three reading
contexts with the three text display types have both advantages and disadvantages for
reading comprehension, sustained attention and cognitive load. As a result, text display
Eye tracking
technology
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