[quoting Solomon, 10 Dec 98.b] Is this the pearl in Marshall's paper? Do we, as designers of the learning experience, have an obligation to frame the content in a way that causes flow to occur? And does the requirement of frequent user response that characterizes computer games actually make the flow happen?
Yes. I feel that another word has to be brought up here in both a positive and negative manner. That word is addiction! Those persons that "live" on the net or in a gaming environment may be having a metacognitive equivalent to adrenaline highs. This can be both positive and negative in nature. Negative in that this is the world they have chosen to live in at the expense of social and interpersonal relationships. Positive in the aspect of a learning environment. If an "adrenaline high" can be produced by the design of an interactive medium that is both fun and challenging then flow will happen, and the learner will be more readily absorbed in the learning experience. This too may cause a social and interpersonal problem and develop a Caves of Steel syndrome that must be avoided.
...Does involvement in a game help to lighten the baggage load so that learning will take place even in areas we had considered uninteresting?
Again--Yes! I have many friends that are gaming "junkies." They compete in world wide tournaments where the baggage of culture IS suspended for the sake of the game. They have told me of the problems they have run up against because of cultural differences and the solutions they have incorporated to lessen the load. But an interest in the final product (victory and mastery of the game) aids in the process. If this could be done with a learning situation ....... WOW!