Making and observing visual representations during problem solving : An eye tracking study

This paper presents a case study of following visual attention during collaborative geometry problem solving. We first analyse the emergence and spread of the incorrect idea of curved lines as the optimal shortest solution. Then, we examine the different visual representations made for solution ideas and how these are observed by the collaborating peers.Peer reviewe

Incremental object matching with probabilistic methods

This thesis deals with object matching, that is, the problem of locating the corresponding points of an object in an image. Conventional approaches to object matching are batch methods, meaning that the methods first learn the object model from a training set of example images that contain instances of the object, and then use the learned object model to match instances of the same object (or object class) in unseen test images. In matching the object in a test image, the visual correspondence of the points as well as their spatial layout is usually considered simultaneously. Typically the corresponding points of the object are manually pre-annotated in the training images which facilitates the learning process. In this thesis, a novel approach is taken: The object matching is incremental. This means that the system is given images one at the time, and the images are matched by updating the object model after each processed image. In addition, the methods presented in this thesis use images as such, without utilizing any pre-annotation or pre-segmentation information, so the task can be considered of being extremely difficult. Although an incremental learning procedure has been presented before that learns an object model incrementally and detects whether the object appears in a test image or not, the proposed methods are the first ones that try to locate the corresponding points of the object by handling images one by one. Like in the traditional object matching methods, the object model of the proposed methods also consists of spatially distributed local features. The adopted approach to the incremental matching is Bayesian; the likelihood corresponds to the appearance of the features and the prior distribution to the spatial layout. Recursive Bayesian formulas are utilized in updating the object model after each processed image and particle Monte Carlo methods are used to sample the posterior distribution. Results show that the methods are able to locate the corresponding points with similar accuracy as the batch matching methods. The learned object model can also be used in detection tasks, and according to the results, the detection capabilities of the presented methods are (almost) on a par with the batch detection methods, and superior to the reference incremental detection method

A probabilistic real-time algorithm for detecting blinks, saccades, and fixations from EOG data

We present a computationally light real-time algorithm which automatically detects blinks, saccades, and fixations from electro-oculography (EOG) data and calculates their temporal parameters. The method is probabilistic which allows to consider the uncertainties in the detected events. The method is real-time in the sense that it processes the data sample-by-sample, without a need to process the whole data as a batch. Prior to the actual measurements, a short, unsupervised training period is required. The parameters of the Gaussian likelihoods are learnt using an expectation maximization algorithm. The results show the promise of the method in detecting blinks, saccades, and fixations, with detection rates close to 100 %. The presented method is published as an open source tool

Inferring Intent and Action from Gaze in Naturalistic Behavior : A Review

Peer reviewe

Probabilistic Approach to Robust Wearable Gaze Tracking

Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0)This paper presents a method for computing the gaze point using camera data captured with a wearable gaze tracking device. The method utilizes a physical model of the human eye, ad- vanced Bayesian computer vision algorithms, and Kalman filtering, resulting in high accuracy and low noise. Our C++ implementation can process camera streams with 30 frames per second in realtime. The performance of the system is validated in an exhaustive experimental setup with 19 participants, using a self-made device. Due to the used eye model and binocular cam- eras, the system is accurate for all distances and invariant to device movement. We also test our system against a best-in-class commercial device which is outperformed for spatial accuracy and precision. The software and hardware instructions as well as the experimental data are pub- lished as open source.Peer reviewe

Mathematics and outdoor photography experience - exploration of an approach to mathematical education, based on the theory of Dewey’s aesthetics

Lehden nimi on vaihtunut. Oikea nimi julkaisuvuonna on "LUMAT: International Journal on Math, Science and Technology Education"Based on Dewey’s theory of art, aesthetics, and experiences and photographer Barnbaums’ writing about expanded perception through photography, we conducted a one-day experimental mathematics education unit. Using photography in outdoor conditions had a positive impact on teacher students’ perception of the use of photography for teaching mathematics. To study the changes in students’ visual attention deeper, we used gaze-tracking to analyse one student’s visual attention when walking outdoors after the activity. The gaze data indicated that more visual attention was given to objects he had photographed or discussed during the group activity in comparison to other objects.Based on Dewey’s theory of art, aesthetics, and experiences and photographer Barnbaums’ writing about expanded perception through photography, we conducted a one-day experimental mathematics education unit. Using photography in outdoor conditions had a positive impact on teacher students’ perception of the use of photography for teaching mathematics. To study the changes in students’ visual attention deeper, we used gaze-tracking to analyse one student’s visual attention when walking outdoors after the activity. The gaze data indicated that more visual attention was given to objects he had photographed or discussed during the group activity in comparison to other objects.Peer reviewe

Teacher-student eye contact during scaffolding collaborative mathematical problem-solving

Teacher’s gaze communicates consciously and unconsciously her pedagogical priorities to the students. By creating and responding to eye contact initiatives, people can communicate both status and affection. This research explores the frequency of teacher-student eye contacts and their connection to teachers’ scaffolding intentions. The data consisted of mobile gaze tracking recordings of two teachers and stationary classroom videos during three collaborative mathematical problem-solving lessons. The quantitative analysis showed that most of the teacher gazes on student faces did not lead to dyadic eye contacts and those gazes that did, occurred often during affective and cognitive scaffolding. These results offer us novel and important insight in the nonverbal part of scaffolding interaction. Eeva Haataja, Miika Toivanen, Anu Laine and Markku S. Hannula University of Helsinki, FinlandTeacher’s gaze communicates consciously and unconsciously her pedagogical priorities to the students. By creating and responding to eye contact initiatives, people can communicate both status and affection. This research explores the frequency of teacher-student eye contacts and their connection to teachers’ scaffolding intentions. The data consisted of mobile gaze tracking recordings of two teachers and stationary classroom videos during three collaborative mathematical problem-solving lessons. The quantitative analysis showed that most of the teacher gazes on student faces did not lead to dyadic eye contacts and those gazes that did, occurred often during affective and cognitive scaffolding. These results offer us novel and important insight in the nonverbal part of scaffolding interaction.Peer reviewe

Phases of collaborative mathematical problem solving and joint attention : a case study utilizing mobile gaze tracking

Given the recent development of mobile gaze-tracking devices it has become possible to view and interpret what the student sees and unravel the associated problem-solving processes further. It has also become possible to pinpoint joint attention occurrences that are fundamental for learning. In this study, we examined joint attention in collaborative mathematical problem solving. We studied the thought processes of four 15-16-year-old students in their regular classroom, using mobile gaze tracking, video and audio recordings, and smartpens. The four students worked as a group to find the shortest path to connect the vertices of a square. Combining information on the student gaze targets with a qualitative interpretation of the context, we identified the occurrences of joint attention, out of which 49 were joint visual attention occurrences and 28 were attention to different representations of the same mathematical idea. We call this joint representational attention. We discovered that 'verifying' (43%) and 'watching and listening' (35%) were the most common phases during joint attention. The most frequently occurring problem solving phases right after joint attention were also 'verifying' (47%) and 'watching and listening' (34%). We detected phase cycles commonly found in individual problem-solving processes ('planning and exploring', 'implementing', and 'verifying') outside of joint attention. We also detected phase shifts between 'verifying', 'watching and listening', and 'understanding' a problem, often occurring during joint attention. Therefore, these phases can be seen as a signal of successful interaction and the promotion of collaboration.Peer reviewe

Exploring collaboration during mathematics problem solving in the classroom with multiple mobile eye tracking

Conference on Embodied Design in Interaction, October 30-31, 2017, Utrecht University, UtrechtNon peer reviewe

Partner-myyntikanavan kautta tehtävän myynnin käynnistäminen pilotoinnin avulla

Opinnäytetyössä selvitettiin Kotimaan Energian uuden partner-myyntikanavan kautta tehtävän myynnin käynnistämistä kodin elektroniikkaa myyvän ketjun Suomen liikkeissä pilotoinnin avulla. Työn tavoitteena oli luoda Kotimaan Energialle uusi, volyymiltaan iso myyntikanava sähkösopimusten myynnille. Opinnäytteessä keskityttiin ainoastaan pilotin suunnitteluun ja pilotin toteutukseen. Pilotti päätettiin skaalausvaiheen alettua. Opinnäytetyö on toimintatutkimus. Tutkimusmenetelminä käytettiin pilotin suunnitteluvaiheessa benchmarkingia ja haastattelututkimusta. Pilotin tuotantovaiheessa tehtiin havainnointia myymälöissä ja kerätyn asiakas- ja myyjäpalautteen perusteella kehitettiin pilotin aikana myyntimallia, koulutus- ja valmennuskäytänteitä. Pilotin suunnitteluvaihetta varten opinnäytetyöntekijä tutustui Norjassa Kotimaan Energian tytäryhtiön vastaavaan toimintamalliin ja benchmarkingin ja haastattelututkimuksen perusteella myynti käynnistettiin myös Suomessa. Pilotoinnin tuotantovaihe aloitettiin kolmessa myymälässä, joiden henkilöstö koulutettiin etäoppimisen, luokkahuonekoulutusten ja käytännön työssä oppimisen keinoin. Myynti ei lähtenyt aluksi käyntiin johtuen myyjien näkökulmasta hankalasta myyntimallista, joka loi myyjiin ja tuotteen ympärille huonoa ilmapiiriä. Pilottivaiheeseen otettiin tällöin kaksi uutta myymälää mukaan. Näille koulutettiin kerätyn palautteen perusteella uudestaan luotu myyntimalli, jonka avulla kyettiin osoittamaan tuotteen myyntipotentiaali. Tämän jälkeen pilotin tuotannossa palattiin alkuperäisiin pilottimyymälöihin uudella myyntimallilla. Uuden myyntimallin osoitettua tehonsa myös alkuperäisissä pilottimyymälöissä päätettiin siirtymisestä myynnin skaalausvaiheeseen. Pilotin avulla testattiin, millainen myyntimalli sopisi uuteen myyntikanavaan, koska Kotimaan Energialla ei ollut omaa osaamista tai ymmärrystä riittävästi, jotta myynti olisi voitu käynnistää heti isossa mittakaavassa kaikissa myymälöissä. Työn tuloksena syntyi toimintamalli, miten pilotoinnin avulla pystytään käynnistämään uusi myyntikanava ketterästi keräämällä palautetta ja tekemällä saadun palautteen perusteella nopeita toimenpiteitä myynnin kehittämiseksi. Opinnäytetyön jatkokehittämistoimenpiteiksi nostettiin neljä toimenpidettä, jotka olivat laajemman myyjäkunnan aktivoiminen, uuden tuotteen tuominen myyntiin, kodinkonekauppaketjulle luotava bonusmalli myynnistä ja säännölliset kehityspalaverit kodinkoneliikkeen avainhenkilöiden, kuten myymäläpäälliköiden kanssa