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The relations among curiosity, intrinsic motivation, and the "flow" state of absorbed participation as defined by Csikszentmihalyi are explored. Specifically, the roles curiosity plays in triggering and maintaining a flow state in learners who are engaged in an interactive lesson are considered. There has not been much research on curiosity, but studies tend to confirm the presence of curiosity through observable and quantifiable behaviors. They suggest that its presence results in improved learning and performance, that it can be aroused, and that aroused learners will persist and be self-sufficient in pursuing learning goals. In interactive learning, curiosity would seem to have a central, although not completely understood, role. At its most basic, Csikzentmihalyi's flow state is simply a description of people enjoying themselves. It represents a desired state for those who create educational environments, including computer-assisted instructional environments. The flow state becomes a practical goal in computer-assisted instruction. (Contains 39 references.) (SLD)

1Boy Crusoe

By Allan Eric

Also published as" A Yankee Crusoe" . A 15 year old hard working and studious farm boy finds the lure of adventure on the seas as a merchant seaman more than he can resist. This is his story. " I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the Civil War. My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more. Hard work on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my life full to over-flowing. " What he gets is enough excitement and adventure to overflow his wildest dreams. How he experiences disaster and uses his wits and knowledge to overcome every problem makes for a great read. - Summary by Phil Chenevert