Senior citizens and computers
One of my interests is teaching seniors to use computers and lately there have been several items in the news on the subject. The New York Times had a recent article on how learning to use computers was helping seniors find a job. The article mentions SeniorNet, with which I am affiliated:
NEVER-ENDING bad news about layoffs and unemployment has been sobering for job seekers like Flora Schmidt of Mineola, N.Y. But Ms. Schmidt, who is 73, faces an additional hurdle in landing a part-time job: a lack of computer skills. “If you want to do anything in the workplace, you must know computers,” she said.
Kristin Fabos, executive director of SeniorNet, a nonprofit group, says that “more and more seniors are needing to return to work and finding they may not have the computer skills they need.” Her group has more than 130 volunteer-run computer learning centers in 33 states and offers more than 30 courses, in subjects ranging from computer basics and the Internet to word-processing programs and advanced classes like Excel for spreadsheets and PowerPoint.
Another item about teaching computers to seniors that caught my eye was in the blog of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The post refers to a series of books on Vista for seniors:
The 400-page “Windows Vista for SENIORS” arrived at my desk at the Post-Intelligencer this afternoon (Also in the series: More Windows Vista for SENIORS and Switching to Windows Vista for SENIORS).
Anybody familiar with these books? Do seniors need books especially written for their age group? The Seattle PI blog says, “Seems like it’s infantalizing seniors a little bit.” What’s your opinion?
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“Windows Vista for Seniors” is apparently one of a series of books subtitled “In Easy Steps.” The series includes “Internet for Seniors” and “Computing for Seniors.”
The book in question is described on Amazon as “This practical guide explains the latest Windows operating system in a clear, concise manner, without resorting to esoteric computer jargon. It concentrates on the activities that seniors are most apt to use, including email, the Internet, digital photography, music, video, and networking, and is appropriate for those upgrading from earlier version of Windows as well as those completely new to computers. Readers learn to customize Vista and to configure the desktop, sidebar, and hardware elements to suit their own particular way of working. Other topics covered include security and maintenance, Vista’s applications and games, and additional sources of help and support.”
I don’t consider this “infantizing seniors a little bit” any more than our SeniorNet mantra, “Seniors teaching seniors.” Gerogogy (senior teaching) requires a different approach than does, for example, pedagogy and these books are trying to take that appproach.