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AI Summary of Peer-Reviewed Research

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Publishing process signals: STRONG — reflects the venue and review process. — venue and review process.

Vietnamese EFL students reported high online flow

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Research area:PsychologyDevelopmental and Educational PsychologyOnline learning

What the study found

Vietnamese EFL undergraduates reported a high overall level of flow in online learning. The most prominent dimensions were immediate feedback, balance between challenges and skills, and loss of self-consciousness, while highly focused concentration/attention was the lowest reported dimension.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors say the findings indicate that flow may help facilitate deep learning in online EFL learning. They also conclude that educators should design online lessons with clear goals, immediate and constructive feedback, task difficulty matched to learners, fewer distractions, and attention to contextual and culturally sensitive factors.

What the researchers tested

The study used a mixed-methods design with a survey of 239 Vietnamese EFL university students and semi-structured interviews with 12 interviewees. The qualitative data were analyzed using narrative-integrated thematic analysis, and the study examined flow through eight dimensions.

What worked and what didn't

Students' overall flow experience was high, with a mean score of 3.77. Immediate feedback, balance between challenges and skills, and loss of self-consciousness stood out as the strongest dimensions, while highly focused concentration/attention was the weakest.

What to keep in mind

The abstract describes barriers to flow, including internal struggles, self-directed learning expectations, culturally shaped norms, and technology infrastructure challenges. Limitations beyond this scope are not described in the available summary.

Key points

  • Vietnamese EFL undergraduates reported a high overall level of flow in online learning.
  • Immediate feedback, challenge-skill balance, and loss of self-consciousness were the strongest flow dimensions.
  • Highly focused concentration/attention was the lowest reported flow dimension.
  • The study identified barriers including focus problems, self-directed learning expectations, culturally shaped norms, and technology infrastructure issues.
  • The authors say flow may help facilitate deep learning in online EFL learning.

Disclosure

Research title:
Vietnamese EFL students reported high online flow
Publication date:
2026-03-05
DOI:
10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106580
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: AI provenance information is not available for this post.

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