In the Flow

Well I have fully arrived in the World of Warcraft and will not say that I am addicted, but I am in the flow. The understanding of flow and its addictive properties is not only an important idea in gaming but an important idea in teaching. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi introduced the experience of flow. The components he discusses are: clear goals, immediate feedback, balance between challenges and skills, action and awareness, minimal distractions, ability to take risks, loss of self-concioucness, distortion of time and autotelic activity (Csikszentmihalyi, 2009). Flow theory is explained as, "flow theory, predicts that experience will be most positive when a person perceives that
the environment contains high enough opportunities for action(or challenges), which are matched with the person's own capacities to act (or skills). When both challenges and skills are high,
the person is not only enjoying the moment, but is also stretching his or her capabilities with the likelihood of learning new skills and increasing self-esteem and personal complexity (Csikszentmihalyi & LeFevre, 1989, pg. 816). Flow is something that Kurt Squire discusses when he talks about why we should study video games? Squire (2011) answers this question with four responses: 1. They are engaging, 2. Games develop academic interests and content, 3. Games are participatory and can produce outcomes and 4. They are highly motivational and the work itself inspires and adds to the human experience.

In our meeting this week we looked at what makes the game of World of Warcraft educational. There were many positives and negatives to the game and what it has to offer. For us as students in the course it is teaching me to be reflective of what others perspectives are, and how I can be open and sensitive to those viewpoints. I listened to a classmate explain their dislike of the violence in the game. This was a perspective that I did not understand before opening my self up to this point of view. Now I see the importance of what we teach, the tools we use and how these can impact our learners in various ways. I have a better respect for my classmates sensitivities and know this will translate to my students.

My mind has expanded with this introduction to gaming. Engaging in a game like World of Warcraft has open my mind. The design of this games leads me to question how, as teachers, we can facilitate  perspective taking, common purpose and empowering students. How can we design spaces for students to fail, succeed, engage and excel. There is a lot to learn not just from the flow of the game, but questioning how and why flow happens and how that translates to our classes.

Artemis Maat Level 13 ;)



References

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2009). Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and. HarperCollins e-books.

Csikszentmihalyi, M., & LeFevre, J. (1989). Optimal experience in work and leisure. Journal of personality and social psychology, 56(5), 815-822.

Squire, K. (2011). Video Games and Learning: Teaching and Participatory Culture in the Digital Age. Technology, Education--Connections (the TEC Series). Teachers College Press. 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027.