Applying Flow Theory to the Classroom

During my career as a student, I have often struggled with boredom in the classroom. Perhaps it was my lack of interest in the subject or the unchallenging nature of the class. But, perhaps the problem was that the classroom setting was unengaging.

Senior year of high school, one of my favorite classes was AP Calculus. Now, sane people might be wondering why I enjoyed such an insanely difficult class. The reason I enjoyed this class so much is that I found it engaging with just the right amount of challenge. I would lose track of time in class, so focused on getting the right answers that our 90-minute class would fly by. We were assigned homework each night, and the time spent working on these assignments would put me in a similar state of intense focus. I would get so intent on finding the right answer that I would scarcely realize how long it took me to find it. I’d go through the motions of finding the right answer without even realizing I was doing it.

What I experienced was something called “flow.” The feeling of flow, or complete immersion in an activity, often occurs when one is engaged in an activity that they enjoy and in which they are fairly skilled. This is why I had a feeling of flow while working on calculus; I enjoyed the subject and I was pretty good at it. For other students though, working on calculus homework is very unlikely to be a flow experience because they are either uninterested or have greater difficulty with the subject.

Flow theory suggests that in order for one to achieve a flow state by participating in a certain activity, the activity has to be the right amount of difficulty and the participant has to have enough skill in the area.

Additionally, one is more likely to experience flow when participating in an activity with clear goals that gives immediate feedback and is intrinsically rewarding. For me, this was calculus. I knew the goals– to solve the problem– and because my teacher posted the answers, I knew immediately if I got the answers to the problems right or not. Also, I was motivated internally to prove I could get to the right answers; I was motivated by the task itself, not some external reward.

However much I loved calculus, this is not the experience of many students. In terms of applying flow theory to the classroom, it can often be difficult to get students in a position where they are fully engaged in the topics at hand. Students have busy lives, so getting students to let go of the buzz of the outside world in a certain class can be a difficult task. How does one accomplish this?

One of the most important elements is the level of challenge. Students need to be challenged just the right amount. Too much and they’ll feel anxious, too little and they’ll lose interest. Assigning tasks with just the right amount of challenge is key to creating an environment which promotes flow.

Tasks that are hands-on and engaging allow for students to experience flow. Games and immersive learning activities where the goals are clear and feedback is received immediately also create an environment where flow experiences are possible.

Merely lecturing students or playing videos about a certain topic is not going to invite students to experience flow. It is unlikely that students will feel fully immersed or engaged with more passive forms of learning such as these, especially not in the 21st century where attention is constantly split between the tasks at hands and the electronics lining the backpacks and pockets of many students. So, by creating fully immersive learning environments, where students are consumed by the task at hand, students are more likely to experience flow.

However, not every moment in the classroom can be spent playing games. There are times when one must attend a lecture, work on a paper, or fill out a worksheet. Unless one is hyper-focused on their math problems–I can personally attest to the likelihood of this possibility, especially when the problems present the right amount of challenge– this method of classroom instruction is unlikely to create flow experiences. However, applying the core principles of flow in a classroom setting by assigning tasks with clear goals, minimizing distractions, and offering frequent feedback can make the learning experience more enjoyable for students.

I am not an expert on being a teacher. However, as a student, I can say that I would much rather be challenged enough to feel actively engaged in a classroom than sit in a lecture with no sense of focus. Additionally, experiencing flow in the classroom increased my interest and understanding in a certain subject matter. So, if ever there is doubt whether this method works, I can attest that it does.