Capturing Flow in the Business Classroom

Abstract

This study focuses on the flow experience in business education. Flow experience, characterized by concentration, control, and enjoyment, can lead to better learning outcomes. Leading preconditions of flow include the balance of challenge and skill, feedback, and goal clarity. Other situational factors affect the flow experience through the mediating effects of these three factors. In this article, we extend an existing framework linking flow and learning. Using the model as a guide, we start our research effort of flow in business education by conducting a field survey of student learning experience in terms of flow and influential factors. Data were collected using business students taking an introductory Operations Management course. The analysis reveals that flow does exist in classroom learning. Its key dimensions are concentration, sense of control, and enjoyment. The more important leading factor is having clear feedback. Characteristics of both the instructor and students play a role in the flow experience of students during lecture. It is evident that flow theory offers a useful framework for business education research. Suggestions for future research are made.

Mobile collaborative learning: The role of individual learning in groups through text and video content delivery in tablets

“…When people are in a state of absorption, they undertake tasks with attentiveness and vigor, and this has the potential to improve learning in classroom environments. The flow experience increases individual concentration, sense of control, and personal enjoyment (Guo & Ro, 2008). In doing so, it positively affects the individual perception of self-efficacy and motivation to learn (Csikszentmihalyi, 1991).…”

Learning as a Shared Peak Experience: Interactive Flow in Higher Education

“…While members of particular occupational groups (namely athletes and artists) have been shown to be especially prone to experience flow (Csikszentmihalyi 1990), flow does occur in all cultures, social classes, and age groups (Guo and Ro 2008). Flow is, however, critically dependent on a match-up of high demands and high skill (Csikszentmihalyi 1997;Csikszentmihalyi et al 1993).…”

“…Flow is, however, critically dependent on a match-up of high demands and high skill (Csikszentmihalyi 1997;Csikszentmihalyi et al 1993). In educational contexts, learner characteristics such as interest (Abbott 2000;Guo and Ro 2008) and curiosity (Egbert 2003;Guo and Ro 2008;Schiefele and Csikszentmihalyi 1994;Webster et al 1993) also play an important role as antecedents of flow.…”

“…In terms of outcomes, flow has been linked to academic achievement and learning success in a number of studies (Csikszentmihalyi 1997;Custodero 2002;Ghani 1995;Konradt et al 2001Konradt et al , 2003Rea 2000), covering age groups from elementary school children (Marks 2000;Skinner et al 1990) over secondary schoolers (Goos et al 2002;Shernoff et al 2003) to university students (Guo and Ro 2008;Joo et al 2015;Kiili 2005;Webster et al 1993) and including such diverse settings as foreign language classrooms (Egbert 2003), searching for information on websites (Skadberg and Kimmel 2004) and playing educational computer games (Kiili 2005). Note, however, that in some cases, the association between flow and (apparent) learning success has been shown to be due to the subjective (mis)perception of increased learning rather than actually increased learning (Rossin et al 2009).…”

Innovative Teaching: An Empirical Study of Computer Aided Instruction in Quantitative Business Courses

“…Lumsden and Scott (1983) find that students value an enthusiastic lecturer and a clear presentation. These are factors that may be difficult to replicate in an online class, since instructors often read the audience and adjust their energy and delivery during a live lecture to control student concentration and enjoyment which help improve learning (Guo and Ro 2008).…”