Integrating eye-tracking, emotional engagement, and reflection in experiential manufacturing systems learning

Experiential learning can strengthen STEM students’ ability to connect theory to practice, yet students vary in how they allocate attention and experience emotions during authentic evaluation tasks. This embedded case study examined cognitive and affective engagement during a manufacturing systems learning sequence grounded in the 5E instructional model and the 5S methodology. Twenty-two engineering technology students completed (1) an observational walk-through of a campus Smart Factory (authentic environment) and (2) an eye-tracking–supported visual simulation using industrial workstation images. We analyzed ocular indicators of visual attention (fixations, saccades, pupil diameter) alongside self-reported achievement emotions (AEQ) and post-activity reflections. Ward’s hierarchical clustering (Euclidean distance on standardized features) suggested a two-profile solution, interpreted as a heuristic grouping supported by dendrogram structure and instructional interpretability. Students in Cluster 1 showed shorter completion times, fewer fixations, and larger pupil diameters, paired with higher hope/pride/enjoyment and lower frustration/anxiety. Their reflections emphasized confidence from prior knowledge and interest in applying advanced analytic tools. Cluster 2 showed longer task durations, higher fixation counts, smaller pupil diameters, and lower pride with moderate frustration/anxiety; reflections highlighted uncertainty due to limited exposure time and the need for stronger scaffolding. Findings showcase that experiential designs benefit from aligning cognitive load supports with achievement emotions through pre-briefing, structured prompts, and differentiated guidance, and illustrate how eye-tracking plus reflection can provide actionable feedback for learning design.