Revitalizing Cultural Heritage Education Through a Flow Theory-Based Serious Game Model for Enhancing User Engagement
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Cultural heritage education plays a vital role in preserving national identity and transmitting traditional knowledge across generations. However, younger learners often perceive learning about cultural heritage as passive and less engaging than contemporary digital experiences. Although serious games have emerged as promising tools for heritage education, many existing applications lack theoretically grounded engagement mechanisms, limiting their effectiveness in sustaining learner participation. This study develops and empirically evaluates a Cultural Heritage Serious Game Model for Enhancing User Engagement Based on Flow Theory in the context of Songket learning. The research employed a four-phase methodology comprising analysis, model design, prototype development, and empirical evaluation. The proposed model integrates key Flow Theory-informed game design elements to support focused attention, intrinsic motivation, problem-solving, and learning transfer. Evaluation findings demonstrated positive engagement outcomes, with mean scores of 3.63 for focused attention, 3.98 for intrinsic motivation, 4.08 for problem-solving, and 4.02 for perceived learning transfer. The findings provide preliminary evidence of positive cognitive engagement in cultural heritage education. This study contributes a theoretically grounded design framework for serious game development and offers practical guidance for leveraging digital technologies to revitalize cultural heritage education.
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
OpenAlex ID: W7204717258