View in EDS

Using an Eye Tracker to Capture Reading Skills as Measured by a Digital Adaptation of TOWRE-2

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Using an Eye Tracker to Capture Reading Skills as Measured by a Digital Adaptation of TOWRE-2
Language: English
Authors: Maria Cutumisu (ORCID 0000-0003-2475-9647), Krystle-Lee Turgeon
Source: Education and Information Technologies. 2026 31(1):1-36.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 36
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Reading Fluency, Reading Skills, Reading Ability, Eye Movements, Task Analysis, Time on Task, Reading Tests, Scores, Psychological Testing, Physiology, Computer Assisted Testing, Reading Processes
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Test of Word Reading Efficiency
DOI: 10.1007/s10639-025-13796-y
ISSN: 1360-2357
1573-7608
Abstract: Reading fluency is a foundational skill in succeeding academically, yet several university students exhibit poor reading abilities or deficits that are not always diagnosed. Deficits in many components of reading (e.g., word reading and phonological awareness) have been found for individuals with reading difficulties. Thus, examining foundational reading skills can help identify and better support these individuals. This study examines undergraduate students' eye movements during a computer-administered standardized word reading task to ascertain whether time spent reading the words and nonwords as measured by an eye tracker is associated with standardized reading scores. A behavioral instrument, the computerized TOWRE-2 standardized psychological reading test, and a physiological (i.e., biometric) instrument, the EyeLink 1000 Plus eye tracker, were employed to measure word-reading fluency and eye movements, including the pupil sizes, of n = 112 undergraduate students from a large research-intensive North American university. Findings show that a physiological method, eye tracking, can be used to significantly predict the results of a computer-administrated standardized behavioral test of reading. Time spent reading words inversely predicted the standardized subtest scores, with the second and the last columns of each subtest being the strongest predictors of these scores. This study shows that eye tracking complements and aligns with behavioral methods by offering deeper insights into how students process words during a reading task, it can reduce by 50% the time needed to administer the TOWRE-2 test while preserving test results, it can be easily integrated with other digital tests, and it does not require a trained psychologist to deliver it.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504448
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1504448
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Using an Eye Tracker to Capture Reading Skills as Measured by a Digital Adaptation of TOWRE-2
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maria+Cutumisu%22">Maria Cutumisu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2475-9647">0000-0003-2475-9647</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Krystle-Lee+Turgeon%22">Krystle-Lee Turgeon</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Education+and+Information+Technologies%22"><i>Education and Information Technologies</i></searchLink>. 2026 31(1):1-36.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 36
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Fluency%22">Reading Fluency</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Skills%22">Reading Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Ability%22">Reading Ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Eye+Movements%22">Eye Movements</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Task+Analysis%22">Task Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time+on+Task%22">Time on Task</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Tests%22">Reading Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scores%22">Scores</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Testing%22">Psychological Testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physiology%22">Physiology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Assisted+Testing%22">Computer Assisted Testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Processes%22">Reading Processes</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Test+of+Word+Reading+Efficiency%22">Test of Word Reading Efficiency</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1007/s10639-025-13796-y
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1360-2357<br />1573-7608
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Reading fluency is a foundational skill in succeeding academically, yet several university students exhibit poor reading abilities or deficits that are not always diagnosed. Deficits in many components of reading (e.g., word reading and phonological awareness) have been found for individuals with reading difficulties. Thus, examining foundational reading skills can help identify and better support these individuals. This study examines undergraduate students' eye movements during a computer-administered standardized word reading task to ascertain whether time spent reading the words and nonwords as measured by an eye tracker is associated with standardized reading scores. A behavioral instrument, the computerized TOWRE-2 standardized psychological reading test, and a physiological (i.e., biometric) instrument, the EyeLink 1000 Plus eye tracker, were employed to measure word-reading fluency and eye movements, including the pupil sizes, of n = 112 undergraduate students from a large research-intensive North American university. Findings show that a physiological method, eye tracking, can be used to significantly predict the results of a computer-administrated standardized behavioral test of reading. Time spent reading words inversely predicted the standardized subtest scores, with the second and the last columns of each subtest being the strongest predictors of these scores. This study shows that eye tracking complements and aligns with behavioral methods by offering deeper insights into how students process words during a reading task, it can reduce by 50% the time needed to administer the TOWRE-2 test while preserving test results, it can be easily integrated with other digital tests, and it does not require a trained psychologist to deliver it.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1504448
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1504448
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10639-025-13796-y
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 36
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Fluency
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Ability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Eye Movements
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Task Analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Time on Task
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scores
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological Testing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Assisted Testing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Processes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Test of Word Reading Efficiency
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Using an Eye Tracker to Capture Reading Skills as Measured by a Digital Adaptation of TOWRE-2
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Maria Cutumisu
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Krystle-Lee Turgeon
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1360-2357
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1573-7608
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 31
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Education and Information Technologies
              Type: main
ResultId 1