Editing Flow (section)

= '''Evidence''' =

In a 2011 study by Cheng and colleagues <ref> Cheng, Y., Chen, C., & Liu, Y. (2011). Flow experience and learning outcomes of university students: An empirical study. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 20(1), 19-26. doi: 10.1007/s40299-011-0002-2 </ref> examined the relationship between flow and learning in an educational context. The researchers found that students who experienced a state of flow during a learning activity performed better on a subsequent test of the material than students who did not experience flow. This suggests that flow may enhance learning by improving focus and engagement and by promoting a sense of mastery and achievement.

Flow has also been studied in the context of language learning <ref> Kim, J., Park, H. W., & Lee, J. H. (2017). The relationship between flow experience and foreign language learning: A study of Korean university students. Asia Pacific Education Review, 18(1), 27-36. doi: 10.1007/s12564-016-9463-8 </ref> . The study found that learners who experienced flow during a language learning activity demonstrated greater gains in language proficiency than learners who did not experience flow. This suggests that flow may enhance learning by promoting deep engagement with the material and fostering a sense of ownership over the learning process.

Lastly, individuals who experienced flow during a design thinking task demonstrated greater creativity and problem-solving ability than individuals who did not experience flow. This suggests that flow may enhance learning by promoting a sense of autonomy and creativity, which can lead to deeper understanding and more innovative solutions <ref> Shin, D. H., Kim, H. J., & Kim, H. W. (2018). The effect of flow experience on creativity in a design thinking context. Journal of Creative Behavior, 52(4), 389-401. doi: 10.1002/jocb.212 </ref>.

== Flow and Game Design ==

Chen <ref> Chen, J. (2007). Flow in games (and everything else). Communications of the ACM, 50(4), 31-34. https://doi.org/10.1145/1232743.1232768 </ref>  explores the concept of flow and how it relates to game design. The flow state is essential in gameplay as it allows players to be wholly immersed in the game experience, developing a sense of focus and control and accomplishing a sense of satisfaction and achievement. Moreover, the flow state also provides the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge while challenging the player’s ability to progress through the game. 

Using the elements of flow, game designers can include challenges, feedback and rewards to create a flow state for learners. Moreover, building simulations and virtual environments for engaging learners in this state can promote engagement and immersion. However, while developing this state for broader audiences, there must be a proper balance between the choices offered to the players as it needs to adapt to the audience’s diverse flow zones. Thus, the best strategy is to create an immersive environment in the core gameplay.