Abstract: As online courses and programs expand in business schools, it becomes increasingly important to understand the link between students' experiences in these courses and learning outcomes. The study reported here investigates the relationship between students' experiences of flow, a psychological state generally associated with improved task performance, and learning outcomes in an online information management course taught in an MBA program. Four learning outcomes (objective learning performance, perceived learning of the subject matter, perceived skill development, and student satisfaction) are predicted to be affected by an overall flow score, four dimensions of flow, and three characteristics of flow activities. Support is found for a relationship between flow and students' perceived learning of the subject matter, students' perceived skill development, and student satisfaction. The findings of the study have implications for the design and instruction of online courses offered in business schools.

Keywords: Online education, Flow, Learning outcomes, Information management

Download this article: JISE - Volume 20 Number 1, Page 87.pdf

Recommended Citation: Rossin, D., Ro, Y. K., Klein, B. D., & Guo, Y. M. (2009). The Effects of Flow on Learning Outcomes in an Online Information Management Course. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(1), 87-98.