Scientific observation supports the development of science literacy and is a fundamental skill that is an integral part of it. Biology and biology education enable students to interpret visual information and accurately understand natural objects and processes. Previous steps focused on developing a Scientific Observation Test to assess students’ skills through a set of observation tasks without using specific terminology. In order to gain deeper insight into students’ observational strategies, the purpose of this study was to pilot the use of eye-tracking in students’ solving of observational tasks focused on their ability to discriminate morphological traits of organisms. The theoretical framework is based on visual perception theories and cognitive processing, examining how students engage with biological objects and identify relevant features. The task adaptation for the eye-tracking study was piloted. Potentially relevant aspects of students’ observational skills in the context of observing organism traits were identified for further investigation by analysing patterns of fixation, areas of interest and strategies used by students to recognise biological structures. The research involved five lower secondary school students and revealed that they often struggled to identify key body parts of organisms. The findings also highlight differences in holistic versus detailed image processing. Students tended to focus on the overall image rather than specific structures. Another challenge emerged in understanding biological concepts and descriptions. Students who struggle with observation tend to direct their attention to incorrect parts of an image, which leads to misinterpretations when deciding whether an organism has a given trait. The adaptation of the Scientific Observation Test for eye-tracking proved to be well applicable. The potential problems identified in students’ observational skills point to directions for further research.

Acknowledgements:
This publication was supported by Grant Agency of Charles University grant No. 46924.

Keywords: Scientific observation, scientific literacy, students’ skills, biology education.