Assessing webcam-based eye-tracking during comic reading in the classroom: a feasibility study

Webcam-based eye tracking offers a practical approach for monitoring reading behavior in classroom environments. Nascimento et al. demonstrated the feasibility of using the Webcam-based eye tracking to observe comic reading patterns among children and showed that it effectively captures fixation time and reading dynamics. Despite the data quality challenges, Webcam-based eye tracking provided an accuracy comparable to that of infrared-based systems.

To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of webcam-based eye tracking for monitoring comic books reading behavior in a real-world classroom setting.

We tested the feasibility of using the webcam-based eye tracking in a children's classroom experiment (n=22), observing reading patterns as students engaged with a comic strip. Qualitative quality control was implemented to exclude low-quality data. Fixation dwell time was measured to determine whether specific areas of the image received more attention. Additionally, a validation test was conducted (n=3) to assess the accuracy and precision of webcam-based eye tracking compared with an infrared-based eye-tracking system. The accuracy and precision were evaluated, with lower values indicating better performance.

During the comic reading task, webcam-based eye tracking effectively captured fixation dwell time, showing that students read the left side significantly faster (2.916 words/s, SD=0.705) compared to the right side (1.962 words/s, SD=0.450, p≤0.001). The validation test showed that webcam-based eye tracking had an average accuracy of 11.581% and a precision of 3.058%, whereas the infrared-based system recorded an accuracy of 11.290% and a precision of 1.264%. Although webcam-based eye tracking demonstrated a slightly lower precision (bias=-1.794, 95%CI=-3.055 to -0.532), no significant difference was observed in accuracy between the two systems.

■ Webcam-based eye tracking demonstrated feasibility for monitoring reading behavior in classrooms.

■ Webcam-based eye tracking captured fixation times, showing differing reading speeds across comic sections.

■ Webcam-based eye tracking showed accuracy comparable to infrared-based systems, despite lower precision.

■ Limitations resulting in data loss underscore the need for methodological improvements.