Eye gaze as a resource in handling trouble around mobile devices in classroom interaction

Abstract

This paper offers an insight into how interaction is multimodally built during taskaccomplishment around mobile devices in classroom interaction. More specifically, it investigates eye gaze as a resource in recruiting help and pursuing response from peers during interactional or task-related trouble sequences. The data come from video-recorded lessons at Finnish comprehensive schools where mobile devices are used for learning tasks. Drawing on multimodal conversation analysis, the article demonstrates that gaze is employed by pupils as one of the first resources to display and address trouble. Although tasks often require gaze to be directed at devices, it can be flexibly reoriented to peers when needed. The findings increase our understanding of functions of eye gaze and peer interaction in today’s technology-rich educational contexts.