16.09.2025

What our gaze reveals about how we learn in groups

Project launch of AEyeCol – new research project explores the role of eye gaze in collaborative learning

_{By Rebecca Beiter}

Eye gaze is a powerful non-verbal cue that signals attention, engagement, and mutual understanding. A new research project titled AEyeCoL (Advanced Understanding of Eye Gaze in Co-Located Collaborative Learning) has launched, aiming to deepen our understanding of how eye contact influences learning in group settings. The project investigates the social and cognitive processes underlying collaborative learning by using eye-tracking technology and machine learning. 

“Collaborative learning is a cornerstone of modern education,” says Dr. Tim Fütterer. “Yet the role of eye gaze—how we look at each other when learning together—remains largely unexplored.” The project will work with samples from both school and university settings to explore key gaze indicators in collaborative learning and machine learning-based assessments of group dynamics among other topics.

Funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), AEyeCoL brings together researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen. AEyeCoL will run until August 2028. 

To the project website

Media Contact

Rebecca Beiter
pressespam prevention@lead.uni-tuebingen.de