Random gazes, telling eyes : exploring gaze transition entropy as a performance indicator in evaluating instructional designs

Abstract

This study explores gaze transition entropy (GTE) as an objective performance measure in industrial assembly training. GTE can be defined as a metric of randomness in gaze patterns over time, with low entropy indicating predictable and structured patterns and high entropy indicating unpredictable and irregular patterns. Using mobile eye-tracking glasses, 28 participants completed a cable assembly task while gaze patterns were analyzed across specific areas of interest (AOIs). Preliminary findings from six participants show decreased GTE with increased task familiarity and task experience. Additionally, preliminary trends suggest a positive relation between GTE and self-reported hesitation, indicating its potential as an objective gauge of uncertainty. Furthermore, a theoretical variation on gaze transition entropy where the effect of consecutive fixations at the same object is factored out is explored. This research offers insights into the potential of using gaze transition entropy to objectively assess hesitation and proficiency in training, providing a potential avenue for enhancing instructional content within instructional design using objective evidence. Further refinement and exploration of gaze transition entropy could significantly impact training quality assessment across diverse domains and can enable promising applications in other fields as well.