Examining learners’ cognitive processes and learning emotions in digital game-based vocabulary learning: evidence from eye-tracking technology and facial emotion recognition
Abstract
Purpose
This research explored the intersection of cognitive processes, emotions and their impacts on digital game-based vocabulary learning (DGVL) among university students. Recognizing the scant research in this area, especially with integrating innovative technologies, this study aims to understand the influence of these elements using advanced monitoring tools.
Design/methodology/approach
This inquiry was carried out as an observational study involving 44 university students segmented into three English language proficiency levels: high, intermediate and low based on their English course scores. The methodological tools included a portable eye tracker to observe visual behaviors and deep learning technology to identify and analyze the participants’ emotional responses and engagement with the DGVL during the learning process.
Findings
The results showed that distinct fixation sequences and variations in visual attention during DGVL were correlated with different levels of competency, suggesting a direct correlation between visual engagement and language competence. In addition, emotional transitions, predominantly from engagement (“flow”) to challenge (“frustration”), were common among participants, reflecting the emotional dynamics of learning. Furthermore, all participants consistently focused on the English vocabulary definitions, indicative of their targeted approach to understanding and test preparation. These findings highlighted the intricate dynamics between emotions and cognitive processes in learning environments.
Originality/value
Contribution of this study shows the interplay of cognitive engagement and emotional experiences in the context of DGVL. It underscored the complex nature of these factors and their collective influence on learners’ visual and emotional engagement, offering valuable implications for educational strategies and technological applications in language learning.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the Republic of China Grant Number MOST 109-2511-H-309-001-.
Availability of data and materials: The data collected in the study are not publicly available since they were retrieved under the participants’ authorization and anonymity as well as permission of relevant departments of the university.
Disclosure statement: The authors declare that there are no conflict of interest.
Informed consent: All participants were informed about study details and all provided informed consent.
Ethical approval: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Citation
Wang, C.-C., Chen, H.-C. and Hung, J.C. (2024), "Examining learners’ cognitive processes and learning emotions in digital game-based vocabulary learning: evidence from eye-tracking technology and facial emotion recognition", Interactive Technology and Smart Education, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-01-2024-0015
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited