Flow experiences of children in an interactive social game environment

Abstract

This study examines children's flow experiences in an interactive social game environment. A total of 33 children aged from 7 to 9 years participated in the study for 6 weeks. Data were collected through observations and interviews. In order to measure the flow experiences of the children, items of a flow scale were administered to the children through interviews. Results revealed that flow experiences occur more among boys than girls during gameplay. While ludology had more effect on the flow experiences of boys when compared with the narratology of computer games, narratology had more effect among girls. Challenge and complexity elements of games had more effect on the flow experiences of the children than clear feedback.

Students' attitudes toward playing games and using games in education: Comparing Scotland and the Netherlands

“…aggressive behaviours). Inal et al (2007) recorded that males prefer the challenge and complexity of games and are attracted by the competition, while females prefer to emphasise the importance of narratives and storytelling parts of games. These differences suggest that selecting educational games for combined classes of males and females requires careful consideration.…”

Flow Experience in Cyberspace: Current Studies and Perspectives

“…To acquire a reasonable amount (i.e., no less than three sampling forms filled in) of the flow-related characteristics pertaining to a particular person while he or she stays online, the random-time interval, Chen (2006) reports, is scheduled during a short period, only five to ten minutes, so that even the short-term cyberspace visitors can get at least three signals and thus three runs of the sampling form to fill in. This forethought seems to be reasonable: Some respondents, for example, elementary school students, report extremely short periodic occurrences of flow during the game sessions (Inal & Cagiltay, 2007). As a result, "the on-line ESM tool proved to be reliable and valid" (Chen, 2006, p. 232).…”

“…Some investigations have also been carried out within populations of German-speaking students (Konradt & Sulz, 2001;Konradt et al, 2003;Tzanetakis & Vitouch, 2002;Vollmeyer & Rheinberg, 2006), within Russian gamers Voiskounsky et al, 2005) and hackers (Voiskounsky & Smyslova, 2003a, 2003b within Korean online gamers (Choi & Kim, 2004), and within all the Scandinavian populations of information technologies users -the speakers of Norwegian , Swedish (Montgomery at al., 2004;Sharafi et al, 2006), and Finnish (Pilke, 2004). Pioneer studies have also been carried out in Israel within the groups chatting in Hebrew (Shoham, 2004), within a population of Brazilian journalists actively using information technologies (Manssour, 2003), and within the Turkish children playing social games (Inal & Cagiltay, 2007). The list of empirical studies made in a number of countries may sound impressive, but the problem is that none of these works is comparative and neither can be qualified as a cross-cultural study.…”

“…The practice of playing computer, video, and online games is also a growing area of flow-related investigations (Chen, 2007;Chen & Park, 2005;Choi & Kim, 2004;Chou & Ting, 2003;Hsu & Lu, 2004;Inal & Cagiltay, 2007;Jegers, 2006;Kim, Oh, & Lee, 2005;McKenna & Lee, 1995;Sweetser & Wyeth, 2005;Voiskounsky, Mitina, & Avetisova, 2004. Characteristics of flow have been found usefully realized in a gaming environment for the computer-learning courses adapted for the students of a primary and secondary school (Andersen & Witfelt, 2005).…”

Design and evaluation of the project and program crashing games

“…Furthermore, the challenge presented must also be progressive during the game as this encourages players to compete with themselves and improve their previous achievements (Inal and Cagiltay, 2007). Applying these principles, both PCG (i.e.…”