Professional vision in teaching: review of methodological concepts using eye-tracking

Eye-tracking (ET) has become an essential tool for studying professional vision (PV) in education. It provides objective, real-time data on where and when teachers direct their gaze, making visible professional noticing processes that are otherwise inaccessible through self-report methods. However, methodological guidance for its use remains limited. This article examines approaches adopted in PV studies using ET through a comparative analysis of 27 publications, structured around four dimensions: the purpose of studies (what?), target populations (for whom?), data collection and analysis methods (how?), and media and technological tools employed (with what?). The analysis reveals dominant methodological trends, including a strong reliance on fixation measures at the expense of other eye-movement indicators such as saccades, as well as a marked under-representation of socio-cultural theoretical frameworks. These patterns point to potential blind spots in how PV is currently conceptualised. The article concludes with targeted recommendations aimed at advancing methodological transparency and expanding the conceptual scope of ET-based PV research.