Self-reported flow in teacher education online learning environment. A quasi-experimental study using a counterbalanced design.

Abstract. Digitalization in teacher education is currently promoted but choosing between face-to-face or online learning environment is still considered challenging. Previous studies documented preferences and academic achievement with ambivalence in results and experimental investigation of attention comparing learning in these two situations is missing. In this context, the present experiment used a counterbalancing design in order to compare different dimensions of teaching students educational flow under face-to-face and distance online environment. Two groups of teacher students (N=37) fulfilled the eduflow questionnaires after the same interactive courses in the two different settings.

Results indicated globally lower attention and engagement in online digital environment, showing that face-to-face induces a better cognitive absorption, a bigger time transformation, and a stronger autotelic experience. More research is needed to identify specific attentional and motivational mechanisms in these two conditions that can impact on these dimensions of the flow. The discussion proposes how to design distant teaching.