Learning is fun, Deep Fun according to Bernie DeKoven, author of Deep Fun: About Fun, Games and the Pursuit of Happiness , and The Well-Played Game..  To understand Deep Fun we need to look at flow.

"When people enjoy whatever they are doing, they report some characteristic experiential states that distinguish the enjoyable moment from the rest of life. When all the characteristics are present, we call this state of consciousness a flow experience, because many of the respondents reported that when what they were doing was especially enjoyable it felt like being carried away by a current, like being in a flow.�

Thoughts about Education, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Flow happens when a person�s highest abilities are met with challenges worthy of these abilities.  When the challenge is above the ability of a person stress occurs.  When the challenge is below a person�s ability boredom results.  The highest productivity is found in the flow experience.  It is enjoyable and rewarding in itself.  Whether managing work processes or learning the greatest result is in enabling people to be in the flow.  How is the flow experience enabled?  First we will need to look at motivation.

Motivation

Motivation is generally looked at has having two types of cause extrinsic and intrinsic.  Extrinsic motivation is found by looking to the outside, the boss, the rules, the potential benefits of doing the activity.  Intrinsic motivation is in the meaning or pleasure of the work or learning itself.  Both are necessary for high productivity.

Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivators include pay, benefits, status, bonuses, commissions, pension plans, expense budgets, and the like.

When extrinsic motivators are used they need to be communicated in clear ways along with their advantages and disadvantages.  Of course, these consequences must be real, and not just a matter of company propaganda. Hypocrisy is easy to detect, and nothing turns motivation off more effectively than the realization that one has been had.

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation comes from doing the activity itself.  The activity has meaning in itself or is valued for itself. 

"Of the two main forms of motivation -- extrinsic and intrinsic -- Although both are needed to induce people to invest energy in learning, intrinsic motivation, which is operative when we learn something primarily because we find the task enjoyable and not because it is useful, is a more effective and more satisfying way to learn."

Thoughts about Education, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

The characteristics of someone who is intrinsically motivate are:

1.       A sense of purpose or meaningfulness

2.       The ability to choose how the tasks are performed

3.       A sense of competence from performing work activities well, and

4.       A sense of progress.

Characteristics of intrinsically motivated learner:

1.       They chose to have a positive attitude.

2.       They are aware of how much they are paying attention to the topic and they control it.

3.       They know that they can be motivated by observing others interest in the topic.

4.       They learn from boredom.

5.       They are open-minded.

6.       They believe that the learning may be worthwhile.

7.       They are excited by the prospect of competence

When people are intrinsically motivated they enjoy learning.  They are more likely to succeed at what ever tasks they do.  They are less easily discouraged.  They work harder, longer and more effectively at learning.  They take on challenges.

Developing intrinsic motivation to learn.

Intrinsic motivation is internal and can�t be imposed from the outside.  People choose to be motivated and only they can choose. Thus the following tips are not guaranteed to work.  They can help.

1.       Help employees to learn how they learn and how they solve problems (this are metacognitive skills). You can begin by asking how they solved a problem or how they developed a skill.

2.       Create communities of support � Communities of Practice.   Many of the skills that are required in modern business need practice.  Most companies do not offer time or space to do this except in front of clients.  So provide a playground where employees can practice � sales � communications � using new software � whatever activity is improved by gaining experience.

3.       Set aside time and a place for the learners to discus why learning is important for them personally.

4.       Enlist learners' interests and enable them to connect those interests to the learning.  The learning activity should foster enjoyment of learning.

a.       Be sensitive to all of the learners� goals and desires in learning.

b.       Articulate the learning goals as meaningful challenges.

c.       Empower learners to take control of their learning. If they can't determine what to learn then they should be able to control how they will learn.

d.       Provide clear constructive feedback that is both positive and negative to the learners� efforts.

5.       Provide time and space to learn that helps the learner to concentrate and get immersed in the subject matter.

Links

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi �Thought about Education� www.newhorizons.org/crfut_csikszent.html

Bernie DeKoven
www.deepfun.com

Penny Oldfather, �When Students Do Not Feel Motivated for Literacy Learning: How a Responsive Classroom Culture Helps�,
curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/clic/nrrc/rspon_r8.html

Center for Coaching and Mentoring, �Internet Survey Results:Is Work Fun Anymore?� 
www.coachingandmentoring.com/funsurvey.html