Mobile learning application characteristics and learners’ continuance intentions: The role of flow experience

Mobile devices have increased exponentially in the past decades and the rapid development of digital technology has provided rich soil for the growth of mobile learning (m-learning), which is a more convenient means of learning because of no limitations of space and time. Applying the stimulus-organism-response (S–O-R) framework, this study explores how learners experienced flow during m-learning and how their flow experience led to their continuance intentions for m-learning. With an online survey of 270 valid respondents, the model used in this study was validated by the partial least squares method. The results show that two key characteristics of m-learning applications are positively related to flow experience, of which concentration, in particular, rather than perceived enjoyment, plays an important role in continuance intentions. The S–O–R framework offers an overarching way to explore the influences of m-learning application characteristics (stimuli) on learners’ evaluations of their m-learning processes (organisms), which further influence their continuance intentions (responses).