Gaze Differences between Expert and Novice Teachers in Science Classes

This study aims to investigate the gaze patterns of two expert and two novice teachers in one hour of lecture type class. Teachers recruited from the same middle school conducted the class each, wearing an eye-tracker. Gaze rate and gaze movement pattern were analyzed. The scene where teachers faced in the classroom was categorized into three zones; student zone, material zone, and non-teaching zone. Student zone was divided into nine areas of interest to see the gaze distribution within the student zone. Expert teachers showed focused gaze on student zone while novice teachers' gaze rate was significantly higher at the non-teaching zone, compared to expert teachers' one. Within student zone, expert teachers' gaze spread to the rear areas, but novice teachers' one was narrowly resided in the middle areas of the student zone. This difference in gaze caused different eye movement pattern: experts' T pattern and novices' I pattern. On the other hand, both teacher groups showed the least gaze rate onto the left and right front areas. Which change is required to teachers' gaze behavior and what must be considered in order to make effective teacher gaze in the classroom setting were discussed.