Self-regulation of Flow: Creating “Seemingly Effortless” Learning Among Higher Education Students

Luotong Hui, Sanne Rovers, Jeroen J. G. van Merriënboer, Jeroen Donkers, Anique B. H. de Bruin

• The dynamic characteristics of Self-Regulated Learning are similar to those that shape the flow state. • The self-regulation process in a flow state takes effort but students may perceive that the effort they put into an activity is minimal because they interpret effort as valuable. • Flow is only a seemingly effortless state, which may be regulated by the way effort is interpreted. Being in a flow state leads to an optimal learning experience and enhanced learning outcomes. Yet, it is unclear if and how higher education students self-regulate learning-related factors to increase their chances of encountering flow. In this review, we found that to increase the chances of encountering flow, students should (1) set clear goals, (2) control the learning environment to enhance focused attention, (3) choose challenging tasks based on their current skill level, and (4) actively seek feedback based on learning goals, and apply appropriate cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies. This self-regulation process takes effort but students may perceive that the effort they put into an activity is minimal because they interpret it as valuable to achieve their goals.