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Csikszentmihalyi's Flow
Motivation, interest and engagement are three interconnected learning qualities that all teachers must address when teaching in the modern day classroom. Motivation is ‘the process of instigating and sustaining goal-directed activities’ (Schunk, 2004, p. 484). Interest is ‘the feeling of one whose concern, curiosity, attention, etc. is fixed on something’ (Oxford University, 2001, p. 574) and engagement refers to the ‘act or state of engaging or being engaged’ (Oxford University, 2001, p. 363). The key theorists associated with interest, motivation and engagement are Csikszentmihalyi and Maslow. Csikszentmihalyi’s flow is ‘deep involvement in an activity that is perceived as rewarding in itself’ (Keller & Bless, 2008, p. 196). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is essential to the development of a quality learning experience. This hierarchy explains that ‘needs for safety, belongingness and love, esteem, and self-actualization,’ (Koltko-Rivera, 2006, p. 303) must come before learning can be achieved and tackled.
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As a learner I have discovered the elements of motivation, interest and engagement. The key incident of realisation occurred at university. Subjects such as Information Technology and Popular Culture interest me and therefore my interest level in the content being taught increases. Upon the interest level rising I find that my motivation to put in the hard work and stay up to date improves whilst through putting in the extra effort my engagement with subject content is amplified. Then the whole cycle begins again. I have also experienced flow when I have been learning Oboe. My teacher’s individualised, student driven teaching style allowed my engagement to be at its greatest level and that is when a state of timelessness was achieved. Motivation, interest and engagement are three states of learning that are interconnected and you cannot have one without it affecting the other two.
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