RESEARCH ARTICLE
The Characteristics of Students’ Eye Movement According to the Introduction Presentation Method of Text and Illustrations in Elementary Mathematics Textbook
Kyungran Kim1, Kwang-Ho Lee2
1Shinjeju Elementary School
2Korea National University of Education
Correspondence to paransol@knue.ac.kr
Brain, Digital, & Learning. Volume 15, Number 1, 1–18, March 2025. https://doi.org/10.31216/BDL.2025.15.1.1
Received on February 18, 2025, Revised on March 27, 2025, Accepted on March 31, 2025, Published on March 31, 2025.
Copyright © 2025. Institute of Brain based Education, Korea National University of Education This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
This study examines the characteristics of eye movement during problem-solving based on the presentation of introductory text and illustrations in mathematics textbooks and proposes effective presentation methods. Text and illustrations were categorized into essential and supplementary content, with supplementary content further classified by its equivalence to text. Eye-tracking data revealed that students referenced both text and illustrations, transitioning their gaze from text to illustrations. Fixation duration was longest on key elements such as speech bubble and relevant objects. Regardless of presentation format, students first fixated on text before shifting to speech bubble, prioritizing problemrelevant information over sequential reading. Higher text-illustration equivalence led to greater illustration use, but students also utilized illustrations when they perceived a meaningful connection. These findings provide insights into effective text and illustration presentation for enhancing problem-solving in mathematics education.
Keywords
Elementary Math Textbook, Text & Illustration, Problem solving, Presenting Format,