Library Instruction for Older Adults

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Library Instruction for Older Adults

• Kristen Becker Jason Coleman
• TRICON 2005
• March 31st, 2005

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Photo by Dennis Mojado http//photography.mojado.c
om/archives/2004/07/06/backyard_dandelion.php
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Photo from Microsoft Office Clipart and
Media http//office.microsoft.com/clipart/default
.aspx?lcen-us
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Photo from The Big Box of Art by Hemera
Technologies
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Outline

• The Need for Instruction
• Demographics
• Barriers to Learning
• Benefits of Learning
• How to Teach Seniors to Use Computers
• Lessons from Liberal Memorial Library
• Relevant Characteristics of Seniors
• Tips for Teaching Seniors
• Seniors Frequently Asked Questions

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The Need for Instruction

• Demographic Statistics
• Within 10 years 1/4 of Americans will be over 55
  years old.

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The Need for Instruction
Graphic from Prisuta, R. (2004). Older adults
on-line Trends and behaviors PowerPoint
Presentation. Retrieved March 18, 2005, from
http//assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/
research/oww/university/PrisutaPresentation.ppt
The AARP anticipates that there will be 106
million Americans over the age of 50.
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The Need for Instruction

• Demographic Statistics
• 13 of Kansans are over 65.
• Only 29 of adults over 65 have ever used a
  computer.
• The over 65 age group is the fastest growing
  segment of computer users.

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The Need for Instruction

• Barriers to Learning
• Concerned they will break computer
• No one has taken time to teach them.
• They dont know what computers can do for them.
• Negative experiences with other computer classes

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The Need for Instruction

• Why Teach Seniors to use Computers?
• Helps them become life-long learners
• Enhances quality of life
• Gives them a sense of empowerment
• Promotes self-confidence
• Increases autonomy
• Enhances their ability to learn
• Improves their memory retention
• Reduces loneliness
• Helps combat depression
• Improves physical health
• Helps them keep alert
• Gives them a sense of self-efficacy and control
• Negates the negative effects of isolation
• They have a great need for information.

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The Need for Instruction

• Information needs of seniors
• Health
• Legal information
• Crafts
• Travel and maps
• Products
• Weather
• News
• Sports
• Genealogy

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers

• Lessons from Liberal Memorial Library

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers Lessons
Learned
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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers Lessons
Learned

• Lessons Learned
• Most common comment was I should have taken the
  basic class.
• We did not step far enough into their shoes.
• Many did not know how to restart the computer.
• Most did not know how to change screen
  resolution.
• Repetition aids learning.
• Handouts are important.

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers
Characteristics of Seniors

• Characteristics of seniors
• Physical and cognitive aging

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers
Characteristics of Seniors

• Reduced function of all senses
• Ability to focus on short distances diminishes
  (Presbyopia).
• Loss of contrast sensitivity
• Loss of ability to detect fine details
• Difficulty discerning colors in the
  green-blue-violet range
• Increased sensitivity to glare due to thickening
  of the lens
• Decreased light sensitivity due to shrinking of
  the pupil
• According to the American Optometric Association,
  a 60 and 80 year-olds retina only receives 33
  and 12 respectively of the light of an average
  20 year old.
• Decreased ability to hear high frequencies

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers
Characteristics of Seniors

• Reduced motor control
• Motor function slows and continuous movements
  become more difficult while deficits in
  coordination are observed.
• Some seniors have involuntary hand movements.
  Arthritic fingers have a tendency to right
  click rather than left click.
• Ability to make small movements declines with
  age.
• Harder to use a mouse. Difficult to point and
  click, double-click, click and drag

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers
Characteristics of Seniors

• Cognitive differences
• Older adults read text more slowly.
• Need more time to process new information
• Older adults have been found to request up to
  four times as much help as younger adults during
  training.
• Need more practice time to learn new tasks
• Older adults need a period of training twice as
  long as younger adults.
• Greater difficulty drawing implicit inferences
• Decreased ability to ignore irrelevant stimuli
  and thoughts
• This contributes to reduced text comprehension.
• Reduced spatial memory

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers
Characteristics of Seniors

• The positive side of the story
• Age-related changes occur at different rates in
  different people.
• Many abilities do not change.
• General world knowledge
• Semantic memory
• Procedural memory
• Seniors have some advantages in learning
  situations.
• More self-aware
• More disciplined and determined

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers
Characteristics of Seniors

• Characteristics of seniors
• Physical and cognitive aging
• They are less familiar with technology
• They may be apprehensive.
• They may not know basic terminology.

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers
Characteristics of Seniors

• How many meanings do these terms have?
• Click
• Scroll
• Back
• Link
• url
• Menu bar
• Toolbar
• IM
• Minimize
• Login
• Home
• Shortcut
• Browser
• Window
• File
• Icon

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers
Characteristics of Seniors

• Characteristics of seniors
• Physical and cognitive aging
• They are less familiar with technology.
• They may be apprehensive.
• They may not know basic terminology.
• They have different learning preferences.
• They want practical information.
• They want step-by-step details.
• They want in-person instruction.

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers Teaching
Tips

• Setting and classes
• Limit classes to seniors only.
• This will help ease anxiety and create
  camaraderie. It is also a great idea to pair
  seniors.
• Offer classes as early in the day as possible.
• Seniors tend to be most alert at this time.
• Use a room that is warm, well-lighted, and
  removed from distractions.
• This will help compensate for seniors reduced
  ability to inhibit attention.

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers Teaching
Tips

• Teacher behaviors
• Speak slowly with frequent pauses.
• going too quickly is one of the most common
  complaints seniors have about computer
  instruction.
• Avoid jargon.
• dont try to dazzle with your knowledge of RAM
  and ROM and megahertz.
• Be positive and patient. Assure them they will
  succeed.
• it is especially important to build confidence
  early on.

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers Teaching
Tips

• General teaching strategies
• Make learning objectives clear and explicit.
• Provide explicit step-by-step instructions.
• Encourage questions and discussion.
• Use analogies to link new concepts to prior
  knowledge.

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers Teaching
Tips

• Try these analogies
• A password is like a toothbrush
• you should change it often and never share it.
• Menus in computer programs are like menus in a
  restaurant.
• A toolbar is like a menu in a fast food
  restaurant.
• Computer hardware is like the pieces of a board
  game that you can see touch.
• Software is like the instructions for the game.
  The instructions control how the game is played
  and set the rules.

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers Teaching
Tips

• General teaching strategies
• Make learning objectives clear and explicit.
• Provide explicit step-by-step instructions.
• Encourage questions and discussion.
• Use analogies to link new concepts to prior
  knowledge.
• Focus on the content or value of the work, not on
  the computer application.

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers Teaching
Tips

• Empower seniors to learn
• Show seniors how to adjust mouse pointer settings
  to a slower speed
• Show seniors how to adjust mouse double-click
  speed to a slower setting
• Show seniors how to change text size.
• Show them how to tilt their monitor and how to
  adjust brightness and contrast settings.
• Encourage them to practice using the mouse.
• Show them Microsofts step-by-step tutorials for
  adjusting accessibility options.

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How To Teach Seniors to Use Computers Teaching
Tips

• Provide handouts and supplementary material
• Handouts should include pictures of toolbars and
  buttons with a short description of their
  functions
• Handouts should provide step-by-step
  comprehensive instructions
• Use clear, concise wording with a serif font such
  as Times New Roman.
• Include plenty of white space and space for
  notes.
• Provide a glossary for looking up terminology
• Provide lists of additional resources and
  tutorials

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Seniors Frequently AskedQuestions

• Questions seniors frequently ask about computers
• How can I send e-mail?
• How can I read e-mail from others?
• What do I do if my computer seems stuck?
• Why wont this link open when I click on it?
• Where can I find reliable health information?
• Is it safe to buy things online?
• How can I attach something to an e-mail?
• Why is my computer so stupid?