Transformation of interests and motivation to learn of Generation Z
Abstract
Modern children are unfamiliar with the world without a comprehensive flow of information. They live in a "clip culture". They are surrounded by information and do not know how to study it deeply, but instead cover it widely. Educational institutions state that children have begun to lose interest and motivation to learn. This problem has become global. Our study aimed to determine whether the Generation Z interests in relation to their parents' interests have decreased and whether this decreases motivation to study. Online focus testing of two focus groups of 18 people. One group represents Generation Z, and the other - Generation Y. We used the interview method based on Filimonova O. modification of the "Map of Interests" questionnaire. Analyzing the results, we found, first, that the current generation is interested in more fields of activity than the previous (last ranked area of activity today has 33% of followers, in contrast to the past 17%). Secondly, we divided the obtained data into three groups - unchanged interests, decreased interests, and increased interests. Information technologies appeared in the last group. Third, the motivation to learn has not diminished, but the approach to learning has changed. All this leads to the conclusion that the education system must adapt to the needs of ways to obtain knowledge of the new generation. Our research shows that children's lack of knowledge is caused not by their low interest in activities, but by the incorrectly constructed educational process, namely, without considering their "digital" specifics. That is, we observe a transformation of interests rather than the motivation of Generation Z.
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