Make sure that your learners are in the flow, according to Mihály Csíkszentmihályi flow feels:

• Completely involved, focused, concentrating – with this either due to innate curiosity or as of training
• Sense of ecstasy – of being outside everyday reality
• Great inner clarity – knowing what needs to be done and how well it is going
• Knowing the activity is doable – that the skills are adequate, and neither anxious or bored
• Sense of serenity – no worries about self, feeling of growing beyond the boundaries of ego
• Timeliness – thoroughly focused on present, don’t notice time passing
• Intrinsic motivation – whatever produces “flow” becomes its own reward

Learners are in the zone when a high chalenge level is matched with a high skill level. But when starting with something new, your skill level is low and gamification can help stimulating your emotional brain.

Being in the zone with the Spectrum of Motivation (KenBlanchard) with a touch of gamification

• Disinterested: as you see no value, a sense of purpose must be given.
• External: Unpredictable Rewards will push the learners motivation higher with the release of Dopamine. Rewards that work are: Luxurious – Hedonic – Non Monetary
• Imposed: The fear of loss with the use of  Punishment and Autonomy will release Endorphins that will bridge the learner to Intrinsic motivation.
• Aligned: Oxytocin is released as we link the learning to value and get related to and with others in a social context, with the help of  social learning.
• Integrated: The learning has become a part of life while the learner is accredited making the learner feel competent, flooding Serotonin into the brain.
• Inherent: Learner enjoys for fun.

But once in flow the master Level needs to evolve, or people stop learning and playing!

Supported by the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) (Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci)

• Conditions supporting the individual’s experience of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are argued to foster the most volitional and high quality forms of motivation (intrinsic).
  Some Extrinsic benefits that come without a cost like “Priority Boarding” can feel Intrinsically.

Not all learners/gamers are equal

Most learners are socializers and will be motivated by Relatedness and social interaction, that is why games are so successful. A great eLearning solution should contain: Purpose – Rewards – Loss – Autonomy – Relatedness and Mastery to keep all your learners motivated.

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