The Effects of Flow, Emotional Engagement, and Motivation on Success in a Gamified Online Learning Environment

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the factors that explain academic success in a gamified online learning environment considering flow, emotional engagement, and motivation. The gamified online learning environment was used by 40 undergraduate students, and the data gathered from them. A hypothetical path model showing the interaction of variables with each other was suggested and tested. The experience of flow and emotional engagement in the gamified learning setting had a highly significant impact on motivation. Furthermore, it was concluded that flow increased academic success through increasing motivation. In line with numerous studies in the literature, motivation was determined to have a positive effect on academic success. In addition, the results show that flow and emotional engagement explained 68% of variance of motivation; flow, emotional engagement, and motivation explained 22% of variance of academic success. It is suggested that subsequent studies should focus on the establishment and testing of models that would help to explain success in gamified settings which should incorporate game elements and player types in the structural model.