Flow theory

Definition

Flow also called "Optimal experience is a concept developed by Csikszentmihalyi.

Flow theory in education

From Schneider (2001):

Tt is very important to us that teaching generates enthusiasm, enhances concentration and favours creativity, which are very distinct but somehow interconnected phenomena.

Lloyd P. Rieber (1998) convincingly argues that learning process itself - and not just the result - should be interesting, if one seeks higher motivation among learners. "Serious play" or "hard fun" are intense learning situations where learners engage large amounts of "energy" and time and that do provide equally intensive pleasure at certain moments and which have been identified as "flow" or "optimal experience" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in 1990. Flow situations have been mainly noticed and studied in play or artistic creation and are defined as states of happiness and satisfaction that arise when "carried" by an automatic and spontaneous activity. It is interesting for teachers to know that "flow states" go along with the impression of discovery and creation and boost performance in conjunction with important cognitive efforts. "Flow states" are therefore highly desirable, both for the individual student and the teacher. Conditions in which flow happens are characterized in the literature by an optimized level of challenge, a feeling of control adapted to the learner, a touch of fantasy, and feedback of the system.

There are multiple lessons that we could draw for the design of learning environments. An open, active and project-based learning is favorable to trigger challenge, curiosity, leave some control to the student. However, "flow" theory contains principles known from more "behaviorist" instructional designs, like optimizing the level of difficulty and providing fast and appropriate feedback or otherwise appropriate positive reinforcements. While we don't argue, that open and active learning should be "programmed" like an e-learning environment, the teacher has to make sure that at least some tasks are very affordable and lead to quick results and more importantly that quick and informative feedback is provided by the system, co-learners or the teacher (whatever appropriate).

Constituent elements of the flow experience

Element	Details
challenge & curiosity	an activity should trigger curiosity and allow the learner at the same time to formulate goals, while preserving some element of surprise regarding the outcome.
control	levels to play (in gaming), technical difficulties in project, some liberty to select goals strategies & tactics
fantasy	imagination and freedom (make believe + voluntary activity)
feedback	clear and immediate feedback should be provided if the goal or not has been reached.
self-esteem	tasks should be adapted (see above) and encouragement to learn & augment results should be provided.

Flow theroy in instructional design

Chan & Ahern (1999) investigate the effect of activity content, its presentation, and the interactions between the two on flow experience (intrinsic motivation) in instructional activity. Results suggest that the activity content has major influences on motivation, but argue that while Hypermedia presentation adds appeals to instructions that motivate students, complex presentations can be distracting and should be used gradually."

References

• Chan Tom. S and Terence C. Ahem, (1999). Targeting Motivation--Adapting Flow Theory to Instructional Design, Journal of Educational Computing Research, Vol. 21, Number 2, 151-163 [1]

• Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow : The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Harper and Row, New York.

• Hsiang Chen, Rolf T. Wigand and Michael Nilan, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University [2]

• Konradt, Udo (2003) Flow experience and positive affect during hypermedia learning. British Journal of Educational Technology 34(3)

• McQuillan, J. and G. Conde, The Conditions of Flow in Reading: Two Studies of Optimal Experience, Reading Psychology, 17:2, pp. 109-135, 1996

• Rieber, Lloyd. P., Smith, L., & Noah, D. (1998). The value of serious play. Educational Technology, 38(6), 29-37, [3]

• Rieber, L.P. (2001, December). Designing learning environments that excite serious play. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, Melbourne, Australia.

• Schneider, Daniel (2003) , Conception and implementation of rich pedagogical scenarios through collaborative portal sites, Working paper, "Future of Learning" Workshop, Sevilla 2003. [4].

• Schneider, Daniel et al. (2003), Conception and implementation of rich pedagogical scenarios through collaborative portal sites: clear focus and fuzzy edges, Working paper prepared for an invited keynote address and workshops at ICOOL International Conference on Open and Online Learning December 7-13, 2003, University of Mauritius, [5].

• Shernoff1 David. J., Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi2, Barbara Schneider, Elisa Steele Shernoff, Student Engagement in High School Classrooms from the Perspective of Flow Theory, School Psychology Quarterly, 18 (2), 158-176. [6]