2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Unmasking Cognitive Engagement: A Systematized Literature Review of the Relationships Between Students' Facial Expressions and Learning Outcomes

Presented at Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM) Technical Session 23

Cognitive engagement, a complex concept in the field of education, has a great impact on student learning that can be assessed using facial expression analysis. Facial expression analysis uses visual information to detect and recognize human emotions as a measure of student’s cognitive engagement, particularly during problem–solving activities. This systematized literature review explores the empirical literature to understand the relationships between students' cognitive engagement levels and human emotions to highlight the different phases of engagement levels concerning problem–solving tasks and corresponding emotions (that act as potential indicators of deeper cognitive engagement). It is essential to quantify the cognitive engagement level to assess the efficacy of the educational strategies, cognitive skills, and motor skills in terms of learning outcomes. However, while the available literature reviews offer summaries of various cognitive engagement techniques and their impacts, they neglect to synthesize the technical aspects of emerging technologies and trends that may provide useful associations between cognitive engagement in educational settings and emotions–based facial expressions. In this literature review, we have identified significant associations between students' cognitive engagement during problem–solving tasks and facial expressions. The nuanced analysis of facial cues reveals key indicators of heightened cognitive engagement, such as expressions of curiosity, excitement, concentration, determination, and satisfaction. These emotions are proposed as valuable markers for deeper cognitive engagement in educational contexts. By synthesizing the existing research, this review sheds light on how students' cognitive engagement is associated with visible facial expressions, and how facial expressions can help educators comprehend students' engagement levels in real–time. This review also reveals the emotions associated with underlying cognitive processes to improve instruction teaching and learning and personalized learning. Last, this review further seeks to highlight gaps that can guide future research. This systematic literature review explores one potential cause of the lack of student engagement in education settings, and visible expressions associated with engagement through systematic analysis of literature. Findings from this review will be used to advance pedagogy and educational strategies to advance the student–centered educational environment.

Authors

Mr. Talha Naqash Utah State University, Logan [biography]

Mr.Talha Naqash is currently pursuing his doctoral studies in Engineering Education at Utah State University. With a profound educational background spanning multiple disciplines, he holds an MS in Telecommunication and networking. His extensive research contributions are reflected in numerous publications and presentations at prestigious IEEE; ASEE conferences, Wiley’s & Springer Journals. His research primarily revolves around understanding Cognitive Engagement Analysis, Assessing Methods in Engineering Education, and Facial Expressions (emotions) in the Learning process. He is a member of various technical committees, serving as a reviewer for esteemed journals and international conferences including ASEE and IEEE Transaction on Education. His commitment to advancing education, paired with his extensive academic and professional experiences, positions him as a promising researcher in engineering education.
Dr. Oenardi Lawanto Utah State University [biography]

Dr. Oenardi Lawanto is a professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Utah State University, USA. He received his B.S.E.E. from Iowa State University, his M.S.E.E. from the University of Dayton, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Lawanto has a combination of expertise in engineering and education and has more than 30 and 14 years of experience teaching engineering and cognitive-related topics courses for his doctoral students, respectively. He also has extensive experience in working collaboratively with several universities in Asia, the World Bank Institute, and USAID to design and conduct workshops promoting active-learning and life-long learning that is sustainable and scalable. Dr. Lawanto’s research interests include cognition, learning, and instruction, and online learning.
Zain ul Abideen Utah State University [biography]

Zain ul Abideen is a Graduate Research Assistant and Ph.D. student in the Department of Engineering Education at Utah State University (USU). With an undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering and a Master’s in Engineering Management, coupled with over 12 years of teaching experience with undergraduate engineering students, Zain is currently dedicated to pursuing a Ph.D. in Engineering Education at USU in Logan, UT, USA. His current focus is on coursework and literature exploration, with a particular interest in studying Meta-cognitive processes and how engineering students self-regulate their cognition and motivation strategies during problem solving activities.
Dr. Angela Minichiello http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4545-9355 Utah State University [biography]

Angela (Angie) Minichiello is a military veteran, licensed mechanical engineer, and associate professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Utah State University. Her research examines issues of access, equity, and identity in the formation of engineers and a diverse, transdisciplinary 21st century engineering workforce. Angie received an NSF CAREER award in 2021 for her work with student veterans and service members in engineering.

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