Teaching Methods for Generation Z for Physical Activities: a Stable Labor Market Provision under the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Over a year has passed since the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic and the introduction of measures to limit the spread of the pandemic in Latvia. These have resulted in changes in all spheres of young people's lives, including the way they study and exercise. This study examines the role of Generation Z physical activity as a means of maintaining the well-being of the emerging workforce and the choice of teaching methods by different age groups and genders as well as the finances spent on it. The research methods include critical content analysis of scientific literature on Generation Z, modern teaching methods and the role of physical activity in young people's lives as well as descriptive statistical data analysis of primary data obtained from a questionnaire. The authors found positive correlation between age, gender, the occurrence of depressing mood or anxiety and engagement in physical activity and also identified that Generation Z spends less financial resources for their physical activities and well-being insurance (e.g., the empirical study shows that 84% of respondents spend under 20 hours per month on physical activity, with Chi-Square test p = 0.001); additionally, the study shows that the use of such teaching methods as group work, seminars and webinars for promoting physical activities are efficient under the Covid-19 pandemic situation, except for responders aged 16 – 19, who do not enjoy seminars and conferences (p=0.002) and webinars (p=0.001), albeit other age groups do not mind these teaching methods as well as group work, as shown by Chi-Squared Test (p>0.05).

The Benefits and Limitations of Teaching English for Specific Purposes Online and Face-To-Face: Sport and Health Sciences Students’ Perspectives

“…Accordingly, Demir and Sönmez (2021: 684) note that the game element is an important constituent of English language instruction among Generation Z students. Similarly, Kravalis et al (2021) argue that individuals born between the late 1990s and 2010, the so-called 'digital natives' or Generation Zs, are particularly receptive to new learning tools and environments and prefer visual materials, especially videos and other multimedia, to traditional work with texts. It has also been argued that the factor of 'edutainment', or the combination of education and entertainment, is in demand among Generation Z representatives, who currently constitute most undergraduate students (Kravalis et al, 2022).…”

“…Furthermore, Arrosagaray, González-Peiteado, Pino-Juste and Rodríguez López (2019: 31) state that online and hybrid (or 'blended') courses 'offer flexible learning formats for learners of all ages in the way of tailor-made instruction which can adapt to their needs and expectations'. However, certain teaching methods lend themselves better to the traditional face-to-face (F2F) classroom: whereas lectures can be effectively delivered online and in person, group projects, round tables and discussions are formats that are harder to replicate in the online environment (Kravalis et al, 2021).…”

Influence of COVID-19 Crisis on Motivation and Hiking Intention of Gen Z in China: Perceived Risk and Coping Appraisal as Moderators

“…Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread fast globally and severely impacted people's health [1]. One concern during the pandemic has been the level of inactivity among people, especially Gen Z. Gen Z, the "net" generation or the digital natives, is currently studying in secondary and higher education or has recently entered the employment market [2]. Segmenting the market by differentiating generational groups is a common way to understand consumer behavior better.…”

Sustainability of Equestrian Physical Activities During Covid-19 Pandemic

“…Covid-19 has affected all areas of human activity, including physical activity and exercise. Various studies have reported reduction in sport participation and physical exercise among different age groups, a tendency occasionally associated with the increase in occurrence of depressive moods, deterioration of emotional well-being, as well as some indulgence in unhealthy habits, such as overeating, augmented use of alcohol and smoking (Kravalis et al, 2021b;Baranauskas et al, 2022). Indeed, the excessive use of social media and lack of physical activity, coupled with social isolation have long been known as a risk factor for alcoholism (Boyle et al, 2016;Peltiera et al, 2019), and this is especially the case during Covid-19 (Cerezo et al, 2021;Vogel et al, 2022).…”