Editorial

This Special Issue in International Journal on Math, Science and Technology Education (LUMAT) has a unique history. It is a collection of selected papers from the 27th International Conference on Mathematical Views (MAVI27), which took place in Bremen, Germany, from 15 to 17 September 2021

Students' Perception of Change in Graphs: An Eye-tracking Study

International audienceChanges and dependencies of two different quantities are characteristics of functional relationships, which are often visualized in graphs. Hence, for graph interpretation it is necessary to perceive and interpret change. This paper focuses on how students perceive change in graphs. Since eye tracking is a promising research tool to approach thinking processes, we conducted an exploratory case study with two participants: We used eye tracking and stimulated recall interviews to examine this method's potential for studying individual processes in perceiving change in graphs. From the observed eye movements and given interpretations, we were able to illustrate that students' individual approaches in perceiving change in graphs can be related to different levels of covariational reasoning

What can eye movements tell about students' interpretations of contextual graphs? A methodological study on the use of the eye-mind hypothesis in the domain of functions

IntroductionThe use of eye tracking (ET) in mathematics education research has increased in recent years. Eye tracking is a promising research tool in the domain of functions, especially in graph interpretation. It promises to gain insights into learners' approaches and ways of thinking. However, for the domain of functions and graph interpretation, it has not yet been investigated how eye-tracking data can be interpreted. In particular, it is not clear how eye movements may reflect students' cognitive processes. Thus, in this study, we investigate in how far the eye-mind hypothesis (EMH), which states broadly that what the eye fixates is currently being processed, can be applied to this subdomain. This is particularly true for contextual graphs, whose data originate from real-world situations, and which are of central importance for the development of mathematical literacy. The aim of our research is to investigate how eye movements can be interpreted in the domain of functions, particularly in students' interpretations of contextual graphs. MethodsWe conducted an exploratory case study with two university students: The students' eye movements were recorded while they worked on graph interpretation tasks in three situational contexts at different question levels. Additionally, we conducted subsequent stimulated recall interviews (SRIs), in which the students recalled and reported their original thoughts while interpreting the graphs. ResultsWe found that the students' eye movements were often related to students' cognitive processes, even if indirectly at times, and there was only limited ambiguity in the interpretation of eye movements. However, we also found domain-specific as well as domain-general challenges in interpreting eye movements. DiscussionOur results suggest that ET has a high potential to gain insights into students' graph interpretation processes. Furthermore, they point out what aspects, such as ambiguity and peripheral vision, need to be taken into consideration when investigating eye movements in the domain of functions

Fetal pulmonary maturity as determined by particle electrophoresis

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