What are the key areas / disciplines / ideas that are being explored？

The key ideas that are being explored are: the student as consumer is what the author is calling here a “double problem” In a sense, it is both inherently destructive to the university, and it is being wrongly implemented, even under its own conditions.

In academic fields such as higher education (HE), it is generally believed that the character and determination of British universities are being reshaped by marketization. Although the purpose of these reforms is to surge answerability, receptiveness, and worth of education for the expanded higher education area rather than the exclusive education sector. Academics from different corrections have put forward in detail the threat of marketization to the basic purpose, value and ideals of true “higher” education ( Boden and Epstein 2006; Lynch 2006; Marginson 1997; Naidoo and Williams 2015; Natale and Doran 2012; Potts 2005; Ritzer 1998, and also student comment, e.g. Afolabi and Stockwell 2012).

The problem stems from why they are unwilling to treat students as customers. This reluctance seems to be based on the idea that if students are treated as customers, academic rigor will automatically disappear. (Albanese 1999; Bay & Daniel 2001; Franz 1998).

Rajani Naidoo and Joanna Williams argues that, the attempts by various national governments to restructure higher education according to market principles have constructed the student consumer as a social category, thereby altering the nature, purpose, and values of higher education. The curriculum designed to meet the needs of large numbers of students, increase incomes and address short-term financial pressures can undermine the sociocultural measurement of higher education. Due to the “marketization” of disciplines and the narrow focus on the economic competition view of students as customers, the decline of the humanities and social sciences will lead to the loss of professional knowledge and applicable skills in the responsibility system in many fields, and these academic knowledge and practical skills Is essential to the sustainable development of a democratic society. (Rajani Naidoo and Joanna Williams 2014)

What broad fields of inquiry or ideas is the paper drawing on？

The author used participant observation to identify that If it repeats endlessly what the students think they already know, then it can’t be a university education at all; in particular, the implementation of structures and procedures at all levels, constantly requiring and forcing faculty, staff and students to obey, directly undermining the goal of any university teaching is to cultivate and pursue the key factor of independent inquiry, which restricts the academic freedom of university institutions and students themselves, the development of knowledge and independent thinking within the university.

The author only briefly explained it in the literature and kept claiming that students are customers. This view is to change the process of basic education in universities.

What is the main contribution to knowledge that the paper is claiming?

According to Palya (1992) and the National Academy of Engineering (2003), the contribution of knowledge is not only based on previous literature, but also based on rationality and exploration to create new theories.

With this in mind, Professor Karín Lesnik-Oberstein (2017) has contributed a somewhat in-depth of research to the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 and the government’s introduction of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), regarding the ‘double problem’. The first aspect of the “double problem”—students as consumers have essentially undermined university education—when considering how to define the “excellence” of university education is knowledge that can be identified and verified in research in various academic fields. The second aspect of “dual problems” is that the system’s working procedures are single and there are serious problems-relying on Microsoft data can only reflect the quality of teaching and cannot fundamentally solve the problems raised by the students themselves.

The author uses the literature about the harm caused by the concept of “students as consumers” to universities, faculty, and students as the basis for forming the article’s argument.

What is the core methodology that underpins the research？

In this article, the abduction method is used to criticize, which can be seen as a mixed model of deduction and induction, which is displayed in surprising facts. (Ketokivi and Mantere 2010). This surprising fact is a conclusion, not a premise. The author uses facts to criticize the new insights of the impact of the concept of students as consumers. In abduction, the article puts forward logical conclusions that are acceptable but not necessary. Experience events are related to rules and provide new insights on issues (Kovács & Spens 2005).

.

This study uses qualitative research methods, using primary and secondary data. There are many reasons for using qualitative methods. First of all, the human factor in British universities is very important for academic research. Therefore, by contacting scholars who understand the “University Philosophy” to conduct investigations, obtain more accurate information and answer research questions. Second, since the purpose of this article is to criticize the hidden dangers and consequences caused by the concept of students as consumers, rather than confirming or rejecting hypotheses, qualitative methods are more appropriate. Third, this method has greater flexibility and adjustability, and is more suitable for authors who collect non-digital data text and written or spoken language. Fourth, qualitative research has been conducted. For example, a large amount of data on the academic freedom of European universities is published every year. Therefore, the author conducted identification data collection. Finally, the qualitative method can be completed in a relatively short time.

Does the evidence / argument presented substantiate the claims being made?

Although the author implement structures and procedures at every level that continuously demand and enforce staff were analyzed from three dimensions: assessment indicators, assessment methods and assessment methods discuss how to practice the aims of any university teaching to develop and the practice of obedience and compliance to pursue independent enquiry and knowledge, the author should also explain that students’ evaluation of teachers leads to teachers’ lowering of academic standards through surveys and interviews (Dennis E. Clayson and Debra A. Haley 2005.) For example, a Birnbaum’s survey found that more than 65% of teachers believed that holding scores to a high standard in the classroom would lower students’ evaluation of themselves. When asked if students’ assessment encouraged teachers to discount the course content, 72% of teachers gave the affirmative answers, and almost 49 percent said they provided less material in class than before. A third of teachers said they lowered standards to get students to pass exams. Only 7 percent of them raised the bar on their test scores. Seventy percent of students believe that grade scores affect a teacher’s ranking. (Birnbaum, M.H. 2000)

Furthermore, Michael Delucchi and Willian L. Smith provide research that agrees that the damage caused to universities, staff and students by the notion of the “student as consumer” is reflected in the relationship between teachers and students. Once it is determined that students are consumers, when students’ expectations are inconsistent with teachers’ educational purpose, based on the basic principle of satisfying consumers, the administrator will think that the fault lies with teachers, because they fail to satisfy consumers. Michael Delucchi and Willian L. Smith have pointed out this educational dilemma: “Teachers must avoid asking students to complete difficult tasks, because it may lead to students unpleasant or anger. We regard this approach to higher education as an obstacle to pedagogy.” (Michael Delucchi and William L. Smith. Satisfied Customers Versus Pedagogic Responsibility: Further Thoughts on Student Consumerism. Teaching Sociology, 1997(25):335) Which further supports the importance of the research Karín Lesnik-Oberstein (2017) carried out exploring the hidden dangers caused by the notion of student as consumer.

Does the author have a biased/prejudiced position?

The author carries out research to prove the argument, that the author does not fully understand what the link between the National Student Survey [NSS] and universities’ status and funding is, what these are used for and the meaning behind these feedback forms.

Although some of the author’s views in the article may be regarded as biased, the research does clearly confirm that the fatal impact of these radical measures can be used as an important reference for reserve scholars to solve similar problems. Mutual recommendation and research and a clear explanation of the critical thinking link in the article. Next, I will summarize and conduct in-depth research on the problems in my two blogs

Reference:

1. Boden, R., and D. Epstein. 2006. “Managing the Research Imagination? Globalisation and Research in Higher Education.” Globalisation, Societies and Education 4 (2): 223–36
2. Afolabi, F., and L. Stockwell. 2012. “Graduate View: We Are Not Customers.” The Guardian, November 7. Accessed December 14, 2015. http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2012/nov/07/students-notcustomers-graduate-view
3. Lynch, K. 2006. “Neo-liberalism and Marketisation: The Implications for Higher Education.” European Educational Research Journal 5 (1): 1–17
4. Albanese, M. (1999). Students are not customers: A better model for medical education. Academic Medicine, 74, 1172–1186.
5. Marginson, S. 1997. Markets in Education. Sydney: Allen and Unwin
6. Naidoo, R., and J. Williams. 2015. “The Neoliberal Regime in English Higher Education: Charters, Consumers and the Erosion of the Public Good.” Critical Studies in Education 56 (2): 208–223.

Rajani Naidoo and Joanna Williams, professors, in Student Agreements and  Student Consumers: The Marketization of Learning and the Erosion of Higher Education as a Public Good, 2014

7. Natale, S. M., and C. Doran. 2012. “Marketisation of Education: An Ethical Dilemma.” Journal of Business Ethics 105 (2): 187– 96.
8. Potts, M. 2005. “The Consumerist Subversion of Education.” Academic Questions 18 (3): 54–64
9. Ritzer, G. 1998. The McDonaldization Thesis. London: Sage
10. Bay, D., & Daniel, H. (2001). The student is not the customer: An alternative perspective. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 11, 1–19.
11. Birnbaum, M. H. (2000). A Survey of Faculty Opinions Concerning Student Evaluation of Teaching. Fullerton: California State University. Retrieved from http://psych.fullerton.edu/mbirnbaum/ faculty3.htm
12. Terence Karran and Lucy Mallinson, Academic Freedom in the UK: Legal and Normative Protection in a Comparative
    Context, Report for the University and College Union, 2017. The report was also featured in an article in the Times Higher
    Magazine – see at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/quarter-of-uk-academics-bullied-over-scholarly-
    (accessed on 14-06-2017) The UCU also issued a press release about it, at: https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/8805/UK-
    academics-warn-of-low-levels-of-protection-for-academic-freedom?list=1676 (accessed on 14-06-2017)
    The full UNESCO recommendation is available from UNESCO at http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-
    URL_ID=13144&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html (accessed on 14-06-2017)
13. Two strategies for inductive reasoning in organizational research M Ketokivi, S Mantere – Academy of management review, 2010 – journals.aom.org
14. Gyöngyi Kovács (Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, Helsinki, Finland), Abductive Reasoning in Logistics Research (2005)
15. Academic Freedom in the U.K.: Legal and Normative Protection in a Comparative Context Report for the University and College Union by Terence Karran and Lucy Mallinson (2017)
16. Dennis E. Clayson and Debra A. Haley. Marketing Models in Education: Students as Customers, Products, or Partners. Marketing Education Review, 2005,15(1):5,4,6-8.
17. Ostrom, A. L., Bitner, M. J., & Burkhard, K. A. (2011). Leveraging service blueprinting to rethink higher education: When students become ‘valued customers,’ everybody wins. Center for American Progress. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/labor/report/2011/10/31/ 10512/leveraging-service-blueprinting-to-rethink-higher-education/
18. Mazzarol, T. (1998). Critical success factors for international education marketing. International Journal of Educational Management, 12(4), 163–175
19. Mark, E. (2013a). Student satisfaction and the customer focus in higher education. Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management, 35(1), 2–10
20. Cuthbert, R. (2010). Students as customer? Higher Education Review, 42(3), 3–25.
21. Hemsley-Brown, J., & Oplatka, I. (2006). Universities in a competitive global marketplace: A systematic review of the literature on higher education marketing. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 19(4), 316–338.
22. Caru, A., & Cova, B. (2003). Revisiting consumption experience: A more humble but complete view of the concept. Marketing Theory, 3(2), 267–286.

23. Michael Delucchi and William L. Smith.1997(25):335

A brief critical review of Hopkins_2016

Focusing on how the digital devices challenge existing pedagogies and whether the Connectivism is a pedagogy for the digital age, the article speaks volumes about what could be considered as the The changing learning framework will be implemented in the future. In the article, do tablets cure the pedagogy headache? Firstly, Hopkins (2016) explores it from existing paradigmatic positions: two epistemological camps of objectivism and constructivism. On an objectivist approach to learning based on memory and testing, Hopkins (2016) discusses that he believes the tablet computer support this kind of pedagogy and advanced mobile devices and well-structured systems make teaching beneficial. Instead of being replaced by technology, teachers can use technology in a variety of ways to complement and expand on what good teachers already do. He discusses, tablet technologies can support these social constructivist pedagogies. The use of mobile devices not only promotes different situational learning and real three-dimensional learning inside and outside the classroom, but also promotes cooperative learning and collaborative learning. He concludes,. Although there are many benefits of technology and equipment in supporting existing teaching, we still need some new methods to develop the potential of technology equipment

Secondly, Hopkins (2016) explore whether the Connectivism is a pedagogy for the digital age to encounter the challenges brought by the digital devices for the existing pedagogies and the schooling of the future.

He explains the development of the definition and the core principles of Connectivism, he discusses the critics to assure whether the Connectivism fulfills the requirements for a learning theory. He explores the link with the ideas of communities of practice (Lave and Wenger, 1991) and dialogic communication, simply using Self-Organised Learning Systems (SOLE)and school of cloud（Dolan, Leat, Smith, Mitra, Todd and Wall, 2013） advocated by Sugata Mitra who took the idea of distributed cognition.

He concludes, Connectionism poses challenges both in terms of teaching methods and teaching structure in the convenience and boundary constraints of time and comprehensive geographic environment.

Connectionism, which recognizes that the network is connected to each other with a more complex and complete teaching system

Finally, he identifies that the online-environment is important for the development of he introduces connectionism occurs in the interconnection of networks. He concluded: Connectionism will become a transformative learning model for contemporary students. The main reason for the change is that the current teaching method is under regulation and control, but it is incompatible with the connectionist teaching method.

Although he has some good points, he fails to express throughout the article how to redesign the mobile learning in schools via the “new” pedagogy of Connectivism, focusing more on moving from formal, rigid learning into an environment of informal, connection-based, network-creating learning (Siemens 2005b).

• What ideas / papers have influenced this paper? 

Connectivism Learning Theory was proposed by George Siemens in 2005. In the information age when human society is increasingly open and complex, in the context of knowledge explosion and accelerated updating speed, the learning theory was proposed for how human learning should change in order to meet the challenges to human development in this era. According to this theory, knowledge is a network phenomenon (Downes, 2012), and learning is the establishment of connections and the formation of networks, including neural networks, conceptual networks and external/social networks (Siemens, 2005b). The goal of learning is knowledge growth based on creation, that is, knowledge circulation (Siemens, 2012; Downes, 2012).

What are the key areas / disciplines / ideas that are being explored?

The author of the article, Professor Hopkins, believes that these original principles indicate that they will bring about substantial changes to the learning environment of current schools, universities and world-wide learning organizations, and will be familiar to the majority of students and popular in learning in most parts of the world. It is difficult and challenging.

This is an understandable statement. As the product of the development of computer technology in the digital age, Connectionism reveals how we should learn in the digital age. Connectionism defines learning as the process of connecting and forming a network. It is a constantly developing process, and its purpose is for the circulation and growth of knowledge.

From the point of view of Kuhn, a science and technology philosopher, pedagogical research and educational practice must make a paradigm shift in accordance with the characteristics of the times (Thomas Sammual Kuhn, 1962). “The development trend of education is to shift from traditional education institutions, to a mixed, diversified and complex learning pattern, realize the formal learning, non-formal learning and informal learning, let the school education and normal education institutions to interact closely with other non-formal education experiences, and this interaction should start from early childhood, and last for a lifetime.”(UNESCO, 2017, P48) At the same time, with the development of artificial intelligence, we need to liberate students from outdated education models, so that they can control their own future, enable them to have a high degree of information screening ability to coexist with robots and defend against them in the workplace (Joseph E. Aoun, 2019).

Thanks to the development of MOOCs and various high-quality online education resources, universities are also opening up. Many universities are starting to offer online courses, establish university alliances and conduct mutual credit recognition. In the future, it is possible to form a global network system of multiple universities (Joseph E. Aoun, 2019).

What conceptual frameworks / theories are being quoted?

George Siemens was the first introduced the concept of Connectivism in 2005 (Siemens, 2005a, 2005b) and later Steven Downes put forward on his own blog (Downes, 2007), although the idea has been substantially criticqued as well,  Siemens and Downes are not only the core representatives of the theory of Connectivism, but also the core promoters of the practical form of the theory -cMOOCs.

What wider body of knowledge is the author drawing on?

The author has drawn on two epistemological camps those of objectivism and constructivism. Objectivism focuses on teaching, while constructivism focuses on learning.

The objectivist view of knowledge holds that knowledge is an objective truth,  which is manifested through natural and social phenomena. The function of teaching is to convey this knowledge correctly to the students, who should ultimately gain the same understanding from the knowledge transmitted. Teachers are the master of knowledge standards, so they should be in the central position.

There are controversies about the advantages and disadvantages of the objectivist teaching method. the objectivist teaching method is still the dominant teaching concept in today’s era, and most educators are still using it and have established a specific evaluation system around it. What is advocated in the newly promoted connectionist teaching method is that tablet computers and similar electronic devices can provide technical support for this leading teaching method.. Technology is not to replace the teacher but to supplement the efficiency and effectiveness of the combination of what the teacher does with the application software and improve the traditional objectivist teaching method. With the development of digital content, teachers can realize multiple teaching methods. The development of applications software (Apps) allow the ‘traditional’ objectivist pedagogic approach to be improved by ‘’efficiency’ and ‘effectiveness’ (McCormick and Scrimshaw, 2001).

Constructivism believes that “reality” is nothing more than the mind of the knower. It is the knower who constructs reality or at least explains reality based on his own experience. The knowledge of learners should be constructed by themselves in their interaction with the environment, rather than instilled. Constructivist theory is not a new point of view. As an epistemology, it can be traced back to ancient philosophers Socrates and Kant. As a learning theory, it can be connected with the theories of famous psychologists such as  Piaget.J , Vygotsky (L), and Bruner (J. Bruner).

A series of technological devices, such as tablet computers, provide information and media technology support for constructivist teaching methods, and promote students’ real-world learning experience inside and outside the classroom. Learners are encouraged to become active constructors of knowledge (Neiss 2005) and build knowledge exploration skills in conversation and collaboration with their peers, so as to meet the basic requirements of the new teaching method for students to cultivate their self-learning ability and learning efficiency.

Reference:

1. UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Rethinking Education:Towards a global common good,2015)

2. Thomas Sammual Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions，1962)
3. Joseph E. Aoun, Robot-Proof, Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,2018)
4. Siemens, G. (2005a). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1), January. Available at: http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm, accessed 24 April, 2016.
5. Siemens, G. (2005b). Connectivism: Learning as network creation. Available at: http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/networks.htm, accessed 1 May, 2016.
6. Connectivism and connective knowledge essays on meaning and learning networks(pdf)(Siemens, Downes 2012)
7. Downes, S. (2007) ‘An introduction to connective knowledge’. In T.Hug (Ed) Media,

knowledge and education – Exploring new spaces, relations and dynamics in digital media ecologies. Proceedings of the International Conference held on June 25-26. Innsbruck: Innsbruck University Press.

8  Piaget J (author), Duckworth E (translator). Genetic Epistemology. American Behavioral Scientist. 1970;13(3):459-480.

• Vygotsky, L (1978). Interaction between learning and development. Cambridge, Harvard University Press.
• Bruner, J. S. (1966).Toward a theory of instruction, Cambridge, Mass.: Belkapp Press.
• Niess, M. L. (2005). Preparing Teachers to Teach Science and Mathematics with Technology: Developing a Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21, 509-523.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.03.006
• Joseph E. Aoun: Robot-proof: higher education at the age of artificial intelligence MIT Press, 2018, pp 216, ISBN: 978-0-262-53597-7 Rosa Leonor Ulloa-Cazarez Genetic Programming and Evolvable Machines volume 21, pages265–267 (2020).08 October 2019
• Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, CUP
• McCormick, R. and Scrimshaw, P. (2001.) Information and communications technology, knowledge and pedagogy. Education, Communication and Information, 1(1).
• Dolan, P., Leat, D., Smith, M., Mitra S., Todd, L. and Wall, K. (2013). Self-organised learning environment in an English school: An example of transformative pedagogy, Online Educational Research Journal. Available at: http://www.oerj.org/View?action=viewPDF&paper=109, accessed 7 June, 2016.

When it comes to being healthy, looking after your mental health and well-being is just as vital as looking after your physical wellbeing. From nutritional advice to routines here are is our guide to looking after your wellbeing and mental health throughout lockdown.

With numerous lockdowns and restrictions, the world we live in today can feel quite strange, draining, and hard to grasp a routine of everyday life. With new social media tribes forming from fitness fanatics to self-care gods and goddesses, we can take one crucial observation from lockdown, self-care and wellbeing are vital. It’s completely normal to feel uneased and not yourself in this day and age of a global pandemic. Still, there are ways you can take care of your wellbeing and help manage your mental health. With clinically approved information from the NHS “Every Mind Matters” page, Mind, and expert advice we have put together some advice and tips on how to stay positive and manage your wellbeing all throughout lockdown.


Stay Connected
Staying connected to friends, family and people that help you stay positive can be a great help during lockdowns and can support others too. Talking about your feelings can help you reset your mind and lift that weight off your shoulders. Sometimes anxious thoughts can be changed from a simple conversation and getting out how you feel. Social contact is excellent for your mental health, whether through a phone/video call, voice note or little message. Social bonding and talking to others can release the hormone oxytocin, releasing a positive mental state.

There are many ways to stay in touch and talk about your feelings, from arranged group calls, quiz nights, and catch-ups. These are ideas that can help break up the day and help you stay connected. With lockdown along came the benefits of the internet and digital apps, keeping us connected. Streaming services such as Netflix now have watch parties where you watch films and shows with friends and family whilst talking. Social activities and talking can bring a positive impact on your well-being. Connecting with others can make a huge difference, be sure to check in on yourself and others as talking it out is always a good start.


Balanced Diet
We have all seen lockdown pasta and baking trends emerge from our time spent in isolation and as much as we agree on treating ourselves and listen to what our body wants we also believe in nurturing our bodies from a healthy and balanced diet. The way we eat can affect our wellbeing and even our mental health, a great way to eating a balanced diet and mindful eating is to plan meals and look through recipes that your body and mind can benefit from. Cooking from scratch and cutting or lowering your processed food intake can also be beneficial, learning to cook or making things at home is also a great hobby and activity to do during the lockdown. Here we have a few recommendations for mindful eating, from healthy breakfasts to mood-boosting recipes. Listen to what your body needs and keep your diet as colorful as possible. Hydration is also important, our bodies need water to stay healthy and hydrated.

By Victoria Soanes

Create A Lockdown Routine
With lockdowns and isolation changing your everyday life routines, it can be quite hard to adapt to a new schedule and change from the shift of motivation to working and studying. How can we stay motivated? With most of us now working from home, we may find it hard to concentrate or create a weekly schedule. Here are some ideas to help keep you motivated and build your lockdown schedule. 

– Tailor your schedule to your interests and priorities: We all have different preferences, whether it be work or fitness. It’s always good to note down things you find are essential in your life. 

– Follow a morning routine: When adapting to working from homework or education-based, it is essential to keep a morning routine that can help put you into a working mindset. Start with a time you are happy to wake up to every day, get ready for the day, make breakfast, arrange a workspace, and set out times that suit your work schedule. Always allocate breaks for yourself too!

–  Find moments for yourself: Whether this is through meditation, walking or exercising and self-care. Taking some time out of your schedule to tune into what you need is healthy.

– Start the day with a to-do list: If you don’t like to follow schedules, another great alternative is to start the day with a to-do list, you can add to it throughout the day. Alternatively, you can start your day off with a morning tea or coffee and write down what you want to achieve and do on that day.

 
– Give yourself breaks! : It is essential when trying to fill the day up, look after yourself. The pandemic doesn’t mean you have to stay productive and distracted, and it’s okay to switch off. Also, to take a breather, you’re doing great!


At Home Workouts & Exercise

When it comes to staying fit and healthy through lockdown it can seem like a struggle due to the closure of gyms and outdoors sports, however we can take this as an opportunity to discover at home workouts and local beauty spots outside our front door. From walking and running to home workouts and yoga, we’ve got all your fitness needs covered with our workout guides.

FITNESS APPS TO MAKE EXERCISING AT HOME EASIER
THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE FOR MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING


Make A Playlist

Sometimes creating playlists to suit a mood or feeling can really add some positivity to your day, creating a workout playlist can also be really beneficial to getting in the right mood to exercise.

How to make the best exercise playlist

Sleep Routine

Getting a good nights sleep and a healthy sleep routine is essential when it comes to wellbeing and mental health, we rely on sleep to reset us and get us prepared for the next day physically and mentally. Here are some guides to help aid sleep and get a healthy sleep schedule.

THE SLEEP AND EXERCISE RELATIONSHIP
THE IMPACT OF SLEEP ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING


Taking Time Out For Yourself

Taking a break is so important during lockdown, whether it is through a pamper night or catching up on your favorite show. Here are some ideas of self-care that can promote a healthy mindset and encourage wellbeing.

Journaling: The powers of journaling can help reduce stress, boosts our moods, and helps strengthen our emotional functions. You can start journaling with notes on your phone or you can get creative and by a journal and personalize it to your liking. We believe writing how you feel or what you got up to in the day is really therapeutic and can help guide us into a healthy mindset.

Self-care: Self-care can be whatever you want it to be, from a homemade spa night to meditation. Taking time out of your life to look after yourself can promote a balanced mindset and help keep a positive mental state.

Start a new hobby: Creative and interactive hobbies help us stay focused and also can distract us in a healthy way from any negative impact lockdowns have created. Hobbies such as writing, painting, cooking, or even gaming can help give us that escape we need.

Meditation & Yoga: Meditation and practicing yoga can help both your physical and mental state, encoring wellbeing and a healthy way to unwind. Yoga and meditation can even be practiced through reaching techniques, here are some of our yoga-based articles that may help.

YOGA EQUIPMENT ESSENTIALS

Overall, this is a tough time and we are all dealing with the impact of lockdown differently. You are doing great though, keep up the good work and stay strong!

Digital marketing

Target customers

The product revolves around home fitness. During its popular period, people pay more attention to sports health, which brings unlimited potential business opportunities. The target customer group for millennials aged 18-24 is the main consumer group. In-depth understanding of their consumption habits, increase online purchase channels, improve adaptability, to obtain more fun and better course combinations, create a high frequency of use among millennial customers, and attract more customers to join the home fitness program.

Clients between the ages of 18 and 24 pursue fitness and a strong body. At this age, they are in the golden stage of physical development, and their bones are fully mature and strong. This type of customer group recommends fitness exercises and equipment. According to the different needs of customers for fitness, the system is suitable for customers’ fitness programs and equipment. Need to understand the customer’s self-positioning, ideal goals, nutritional arrangements, fitness frequency and other information. The purpose of the exercise is to give priority to anaerobic training, supplemented by aerobic training. This is the mature physiological function of men and women aged 18 to 24, with a high level of metabolism and strong secretion of growth hormone. This age group is the golden stage to improve strength and shape. It also satisfies the psychological satisfaction of the 20-year-old age group and the pursuit of bodybuilding.

On the other hand, they are also a high-risk group of obesity, reasonable exercise to lose weight and a healthy diet. It is recommended to match with equipment, fitness is mainly to increase muscle strength, exercise is relatively large, and at the same time, pay attention to science and comprehensiveness, and it is suitable to choose growth fitness equipment. For example, multifunctional home fitness series, tensioners, grips, dumbbells, supine support, dumbbells, multifunctional treadmills, etc., to obtain the best muscle condition. Healthy recipes, leading users to complete at home, need protein powder and supplements for muscle training to achieve the goal of healthy weight loss.

Digital user platform

Social networking, fitness at home after getting off work, is not only a way of life but also a way for people to socialize. The main users of the APP are young people, in line with the product’s digital marketing channel, which integrates all equipment information, coach records, new product promotions, nutrition and fitness knowledge. Establish a communication community for fitness users, and users are located in the community. Divided into three parts, the first part includes sports dynamics, sports rankings and sharing with friends. Users who reach established fitness goals or use fitness goals frequently will be rewarded, which can be used to exchange coaching courses or as gifts to friends. In the second part, all family customers who have purchased fitness equipment have an APP account to record the customer’s weight, body fat, muscle content, fitness goals, fitness recipes and other customer information. In the third part, users adapt to the forum, satisfying the sharing desire and sense of honour of modern young people. They share and exchange fitness photos and results. These photos will attract fans and likes from different users and users who created influencer.

Fitness trainer

Tailored for the user, a variety of fitness training for you to choose training under the guidance of the coach at home, not limited by space. Fitness is done at home to avoid boredom and boredom. Provides different fitness combinations and guides. Coaches and employees need to form a team in the background. This is especially important for new users, beginners and users who need to lose weight. To urge users to reach their goals, they can share food photos and sleep time and other information exchanges every day. Fitness plans are tailor-made for customers with different needs and arranged according to customers’ equipment and fitness needs. The recording and broadcasting of star coaches are lively and interesting and provide personalized and personalized services according to the characteristics and needs of the crowd. Celebrity coaches need to be established on the platform to attract more fans and clicks. Operate fan management to better interact with users and understand their needs, to meet user needs.

Data usage

The existing digital marketing SES (Search Engine Service) has created the company’s celebrity coaches and celebrity members from the media to increase media traffic and exposure. For example, young people such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and TikTok use advanced social platforms to encourage users to share fitness photos and experiences on different social platforms or cooperate with companies to create fitness network celebrities. Customers who are between 18-24 years old and have little work experience or fitness experience are novices. Different work experience is required, and you can use this method to work with them. Promote the company’s products on social platforms first. Secondly, use the fan effect to promote the equipment and recruit more fitness fans, which can turn them into potential users, and establish free coaching and nutrition guidance course services.

Conclusion

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the extension of home fitness habits will gradually enlarge, and the audience will continue to change in the future, which will accelerate the popularity of online fitness and gradually form a sense of identity among users. The future epidemic will pass, how to plan the strategy facing the home fitness market in the future. There is a surge in users. With the addition of professional and semi-professional users, the existing fitness content can no longer meet the quality and quantity needs of “critical” users. Two groups of non-deep users and semi-professional users are testing the “diversified” content construction capabilities of online fitness. In the future, the industry will continue to provide home fitness users with integrated and innovative solutions for weight loss and fitness through fitness equipment in the form of a more refined division of labour.

On the other hand, the ability of the public to identify high-quality fitness content and services has been strengthened, making high-quality content and service provision stand out, accelerating the continuous optimization and upgrading of online equipment, coaching content and recipes. We will move towards a more benign model and development direction in terms of user conversion, content and service upgrades, diversified monetization models, and efficiency improvements.

Weight plates are a great tool for home workout as they allow you to training whole body using only one piece of equipment. This is a great solution for people who want though maintain good result with their workout and limit the amount of Equpment that they need.  

1. HAMMER CURL

Hammer Curl is one of the most effective exercises for strengthen of bicep muscles. Bicep curls work great for front and upper arm muscles as well as lower arm muscles. For this exercise you can use a 10kg weight plate if you are a beginner or an intermediate if you have more experience with weight training you can easily use 15kg or a 20kg weight plate. For this exercise you can do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.  

2. OVERHEAD TRICEPS EXTETNION 

Overhead Triceps extension is one of the most effective exercises you can do to strengthen your triceps and back arm muscles. A beginner should use a 10kg weight plate and if you are a more experienced with weight training you can use a 15kg plate. For this exercise do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.  

3.BENT-OVER ROW 

Bent over row is an exercise that will improve your lower and middle back muscles. During this exercise make sure to keep you back straight for a better result and to avoid any back injuries. A beginner should use a 15kg plate however if you don’t feel like it you can use a 10kg plate. If you are more experienced you can use a 20kg or a 25kg plate. For this exercise do 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps  

4.HALO 

Halo is an exercise that will improve your shoulder muscles as well as back muscles and abs . A 10kg plate will work best for a beginner if you are more experienced you can use a 15kg plate. For this exercise do 3 sets of 9 reps. 

5. SQUAT PRESS

Squat press will improve your leg muscles. The advantages of a squat press are that it will strengthens your core as well as it will decrease risk of injuries. just like in the previous exercises in the list a beginner should use a 10kg plate and if you are more advanced you can use 15 to 25 kg plate. For his exercise do 3 sets of 12 reps.   

6 FRONT SHOULDER RAISES 

Front shoulder raise is a great exercise for strengthening of you shoulder muscles as well as upper chest muscles. For this exercise you can use 10kg or 15kg weight plates using heavier weight plates is not recommended as it might lead to an easy shoulder injury. For this exercise you can do 3 sets of 8 or 10 reps. 

Why use protein bars?

Protein bars are similar to other alternatives such as cereal bars but include protein powder within the bar. Protein power is one of the the biggest trends in the exercise market and its popularity just keeps on growing. The protein in these bars are a perfect accompaniment to an end of session snack to help boost your recovery. The protein powder within this snack will provide you with animo acids that is one of the most vital ingredients when it comes to muscle growth. All the ingredients you need to make this snack have extended shelf lives so even if you do use store branded snacks, it is useful to just keep these ingredients in your pantry for a rainy day. Using a protein based snack or drink after a workout will help boost your post workout recovery so you can get yourself back into the gym sooner rather than later. Homemade protein bars are a cheap and stress free way to produce nutritional snacks in your own home.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of peanut butter (creamy preferable
• 1/3 cup of honey
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 2 cups of rolled oats
• 1/2 cup of protein powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup of chocolate chips

Method

1. (optional) Line a baking pan with parchment paper with parchment paper allowing it to overhang on 2 sides to act as handles
2. Place the peanut butter, honey and coconut oil in a bowl, set the bowl on-top of simmering water being careful to not bring the water to a boil.
3. Stir and heat the mixture until combined in a smooth paste, remove the bowl and turn off the heat
4. Add oats, protein powder, cinnamon and salt to the peanut butter mixture and stir together to combine
5. Add the chocolate chips to the mixture (note: if the mixture is still warm, store in a refrigerator before adding the chips to ensure they don’t melt)
6. Spoon and press the mixture into your baking pan and store in the refrigerator until firm
7. Lift the bars from the baking pan and slice the bars into your desired portion size and enjoy 😊.

Video

Additional Information:

Store the bars at room temperature for up to a week, for long term storage they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Alternatively can be stored in a fridge but taste better when at room temperature.

Now you have a perfect post exercise snack why not check out some of the exercise resources to learn how to incorporate a new exercise into your daily routine here:

boxing techniques for beginners

If you want to try and make your own protein powder why not check out how to do so here:

Homemade protein powder in under 5 minuites

With the gyms closed during the lockdown it is really hard to build up muscles and strength. However, with these 5 pieces of equipment you will be able to work out at home and get a similar result or even better ones than in the gym. 

1. Weight Plates  

Weight plates are a great for home workouts as they allow to train without need of any other equipment. This is a great option for people who want to minimalize the use of equipment in their taring and get really good result out of their workout. The weight plates are also a good option if you are looking to save money on gym equipment a 15kg weight plate will not cost more that £50, the 15kg weight plate will allow you to train most of your muscles from arms and back to legs. With great results.   

1. Resistance Bands 

 Another great and cheap piece of equipment that can be used for home workout are the resistance bands. Resistance bands are really cheap and can be used to train the whole body. The resistance bands are made out of latex and work by putting a resistance on the muscles during the training, most of the resistance bands are divided into colours the colour indicates the amount of resistance that the band will put on the muscle. The main advantages of the resistance bands are the facts that they can be used to train every muscle which is crucial for a home workout being able to work on all muscles, and they are small and portable making them prefect for home training 

1. Pull Up Bar   

Pull up bars are a very important for any home workout as the allow you to train using your own bodyweight. Pull ups might be hard at first for beginners however once you start to master the technique of pull ups the results will become more and more visible. The pull up bar exercises are very good for improving the strength as well as the muscle endurance, the main benefits of pullups exercises are the strengthening of back muscles as well as arms and shoulder muscles pull up exercises also improve grip strength and overall body strength and fitness. 

1. Push Up Bar 

Push-ups are one of the most commonly used as well as one of the most basic exercises that can be done pretty much everywhere. Doing push ups will improve your chest as well as back and arms muscles. To get the most out of push ups you can introduce Push ups bars into your training. Push up bars improve the effectives of push ups, the main advantage of push up bars is that they allow you to train with minimum impact on the joints which decreases risk of injury.  

5 Dumbbell Weights 

The last piece of equipment on the list  are the dumbbell weights. Dumbbells are a fundamental tool for training upper body muscles like arms, shoulders and chest, and just like the resistance bands dumbbells are small and portable which makes them great for home workout.  There are many types of dumbbells that are available on the market, however the best choice for home workout are the dumbbells with adjustable weights, by using dumbbells with adjustable weights you can easily change the number of kilograms that you train with