ii Detecting High Interest in the Classroom through Non-verbal Learner Behavior

Relying solely on video data, this thesis proposes a method for identifying learners who display a high level of interest in the content presented in a lecture for the purposes of professional development. The study employs a list of non-verbal heuristics for each learner as they are captured by classroom video footage. The heuristics are selected on the basis that they can be collected in a binary format and, when combined, are indicative of the nature of any verbal behavior as well as the moment-to-moment postures of each learner involved. Using these heuristics, a model is composed for interpreting learners ’ non-verbal behavior with regards to interest in the lectures they attend. Data is col-lected at one-second intervals to represent specific postures maintained by each learner throughout a lecture. The high-interest moments are defined, verified through third-party evaluation, and posture features are mined in correlation with moments of perceived “high interest ” in the lecture using a decision tre