Enhancing Retrospective Think-Aloud Protocols with Eye-Gaze data

Abstract

Recent advances in cognitive research have indicated that there is potential in integrating eye-tracking data with traditional retrospective think-aloud protocols. However, the exploration of this approach in investigating how it impacts retrospective interviews in learning and education is limited. This study compares conventional video-stimulated retrospective think-aloud with an eye-gaze-enhanced retrospective think-aloud method, examining their effectiveness in eliciting process-level cognitive data and probing metacognitive awareness during interactions with a computer-based learning environment. This study's findings indicate integration of eye gaze with retrospective think-aloud enhances precision of the verbalization about the cognitive processes, reduces attentional ambiguity, minimizes cognitive reconstruction artifacts, and improves elicitation of process-level data fostering richer metacognitive insights. These outcomes, aligned with Flavell’s framework of metacognitive monitoring, highlight the promise of multimodal protocol analysis in capturing the dynamic interplay between visual attention, decision-making, and self-regulated learning.