Data_Sheet_1_Optimal Experience in Adult Learning: Conception and Validation of the Flow in Education Scale (EduFlow-2).pdf

While the formulation of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's theory of flow, including the experience dimensions, has remained stable since its introduction in 1975, its dedicated measurement tools, research methodologies, and fields of application, have evolved considerably. Among these, education stands out as one of the most active. In recent years, researchers have examined flow in the context of other theoretical constructs such as motivation. The resulting work in the field of education has led to the development of a new model for understanding flow experience in education, specifically dedicated to adult learning. As a result of both a meticulous analysis of existing models and consideration of more recent developments, a new flow scale has thus been developed. The aim of this study is therefore twofold: to validate the new flow measurement scale dedicated to the educational environment, EduFlow-2, and to test a new theoretical model. Students taking a course (N = 6,596), some on-site and others in a MOOC, participated. Several scales were administered online at the end of the participants' course during the 2017 academic year. The factor structure of EduFlow-2 was tested using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling. Several models were tested. The model with a second-order factor best fit the data. We tested the invariance of the flow scale measure for gender and for the type of training (MOOC/on-site). We were able to show that the flow scale is invariant of the modalities of these two variables. Results revealed good psychometric qualities for the scale, making it suitable for both on-site and distance learning. The analysis also revealed significant relationships with the classic variables of motivation, self-efficacy, learning climate, and life satisfaction. Furthermore, all four dimensions of the model were found to be adequate and consistent with the underlying theoretical arguments. In the end, this new, short flow scale and the theoretical model were demonstrated to be promising for future studies in the field of education.自1975年米哈里·契克森米哈赖提出心流理论（flow theory）以来，其核心内涵与体验维度始终保持稳定，但配套的专用测量工具、研究方法及应用领域却经历了长足发展。其中，教育领域是该理论应用最为活跃的场景之一。近年来，研究者将心流体验与动机等其他理论构念相结合开展研究。教育领域的相关研究成果推动了全新的教育场景下心流体验理解模型的开发，该模型专门面向成人学习场景。本研究在系统梳理现有模型并整合近年研究进展的基础上，开发了全新的心流测量量表。本研究兼具双重研究目标：一是对专为教育环境设计的全新心流测量量表“EduFlow-2”进行效度验证，二是检验全新的理论模型。2017学年末，共计6596名修读课程的学生参与本次研究，其中包含线下授课与大规模开放在线课程（MOOC）两种学习形式的参与者；研究团队于课程结束后通过线上方式施测了多份量表。研究采用探索性结构方程建模（Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling）对“EduFlow-2”的因子结构进行检验，共测试了多种模型，其中带有二阶因子的模型与数据拟合度最优。此外，本研究针对性别与学习类型（MOOC/线下）两个变量，检验了心流量表的测量不变性，结果证实该量表不受这两个变量的影响。研究结果显示该量表具备良好的心理测量学属性，适用于线下与远程两种学习场景。同时，量表得分与动机、自我效能感、学习氛围及生活满意度等经典变量均呈现显著相关；此外，模型的四个维度均表现出良好的适配性，且与核心理论依据相符。综上，这款简短的全新心流量表及配套理论模型，为教育领域的后续研究展现出良好的应用前景。