Conversation and gaze in urban and rural first grade classrooms

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of different types of regulatory exchanges and gaze of teachers on their students during real-time classroom interactions in the first year of urban and rural primary school. The study is descriptive using quantitative methodology. Twenty-nine female teachers of urban and rural schools in Chile participated. A real lesson was filmed where the teachers used eye tracking lenses. Two types of regulatory exchanges were recorded: mediated (MRE) and only regulatory exchanges (RE). The fixation time of the teachers’ gaze on students’ faces was determined. Results indicate that: (1) The average range of teacher fixation on students’ faces is significantly higher in rural classroom teachers compared to urban classroom teachers; (2) the structure of the MRE does not affect the fixation time of gaze of classroom teachers.