For several years we have taught basic computer use, from introduction to computer service skills. I learned to do a lot – the web scanners in the market wipe clean disks, and that if you win too much with rich kids their daddies lean on you to make personal protection.
But the most interesting thing I learned is that older people – those born before 1950, in particular – learn technology differently than those of us who more or less grew up with computers. Like the majority of the population, they also have different physical problems; and they seem to have a completely different generation with a very different teaching style.
It takes a different approach to teach our revered ancestors how to use technology that we take for granted. But if you’re a teacher who’s excited about technology, and creative about ways to get others excited about it, older people learn better than younger people.
You heard me right. I prefer my older students to my younger ones. They are more experienced, more driven, and really excited about learning. but it can be a challenge.
Seniors Learning Computers: Issues
Older students are the first hurdle to what they can learn from technology. The body, the mind, and the attitude are all accessible.
Physical issues include:
Vision – Not only do older students have poorer vision overall, they are otherwise poorer than younger students. Learn how to adapt screens for each individual discipline – and then teach them how to do it.
Mobility – Most people think of mobility problems as wheelchairs and walkers. It does not stand in the way; in a comfortable chair, each one the same. He complains of what it is: an arthritic hand.
Once you have sorted out these problems, you often find that there are serious problems lurking behind them;
Lack of technology: Your seniors grew up in an age where not every home had a television – and when they did have a television, it was probably one or two channels, four or five hours a day. It was a completely different world, and you had to understand where they were coming from before you could teach them. Students who were older generations of principals who learned to operate computers are often the hardest to teach, as they have 40 years of experience learning things.
Difference in learning style: Our kids today learn in a group setting that often seems chaotic; Our elders have learned much more individually and can value humanity in assertion. The main difference: learn the spot without asking the student. Many elders, especially women, don’t just ask, and rather perish.
Aging and mental acuity problems: There is nothing you can do about this occasional problem except be patient with it. Older people don’t learn as easily as younger people, in fact you have to go back more often. This requires your patience.
Resistance to learning new things: Many of the elderly only want to learn one on computers, or dogs believe “old dogs t learn new tricks.” They sell you that they will have to understand more than one, and they can’t even learn new things. This requires a lot of respect and patience.
Methodologies in teaching Computers to Seniors
If you teach older people in the US, you always use Microsoft products. This is not because Microsoft is better – it isn’t – but rather because most of them will come out of the box on computers or will be in Microsoft’s library. (Outside the US, visit the library to see what’s most common in your country – Linux and Corel are more common. Closer to Canada) .
After your school is set up, and you have all the necessary facilities – and you have familiarized yourself with the limitations of the students – they are desensitized to the computers. Perhaps the most common thing I ran into is the fear of breaking the computer, or just the fear of football. Open up an old computer box (unplugged, of course!), show them the insides, explain what processes, memory, etc. Take out the chips and pieces and have the students handle them to explain what they do. In particular, they show how the links in the later work with each of the cards. This will go a long way to removing the mystery from the computer.
Explain computer safety and peripherals such as introducing a mouse, etc. Encourage them to plug in and unplug their peripherals to see how it works. Watch out for any uncertainty, and only move with everyone who seems comfortable.
Then – playing games. This allows older people to move the mouse and their vision, and allows you to teach the basic functions of Windows. Even if you have a senior who has used the internet, etc., require games. He tells about various things. For example, I had one sweet lady who would move the mouse to the right position, then she would take her hand away and click on it. This did not work! He had to put my hand to control it, and then he got it.
Other students may obviously have mobility issues at this point. Consider tracks for these students, and if mobility is a serious issue look at ergonomic options such as special keyboards or even string keyboards.
By completing this task, learn basic windowing tools, generic keyboard shortcuts (especially CTRL-Z, Undo) and other generic Windows features. Use slideshows and handouts to help you remember. Then transfer to specific programs like word, excel, etc., and to specific tasks like pictures from “https://e-info.vn/tag/” a>.
One last tip for this section: at the end of each class each day, teach your students something useful that you think their children and grandchildren don’t know. It can be as simple as CTRL-Z, or as complex as finding the most useful place. This will keep your students eager to return to the next class, and allow them to impress their younger cousins.
Senior Technical Teachers
Through your courses, you should direct your students to their own learning. Elders often lack patience whether they say it or not and they want their time. Keep the classes small and let them say what they want.
At the same time, teach slowly and patiently, lifting the hands. My rule is to show them at least once, and then guide them through it later. Because a slow, patient approach is necessary, it is useful to match students with their pre-test skill levels. With younger students we often encourage students to help the slower students next to them; This has less predictable effects when you are working with a larger population.
Most importantly, watch out for those mobility and other ergonomic issues. Donut pillow should be a pillow or pillow. Learn all you can about keyboard ergonomics, antiglare screens, better contrast screens, and Microsoft accessibility tools. More screens may be necessary for some students, at least when they take their skills home with them. For the last resort, there may be a need for either input or output to communicate with the program.
Keyboard strings are a little different. These are similar to a game controller, and have up to six keys. These keys, pressed alone or in combination, can double as a normal keyboard. It’s more difficult to learn, but if you have a student with severe arthritis, this frees up one hand and requires much less arm movement to achieve the same result. Anyone who is sincere about teaching technology to older people would be wise to redeem themselves and learn to use it.
As you can see, the problems posed by teaching technology majors can be extremely mild. But this teaching is also profitable. There are few computer programming schools or tutors that focus only on seniors – and our seniors are the ones who are most motivated. learn to use computers. The young people did not have the exposure, but they want to use the technology to preserve it with their family and especially their grandchildren.
With decent marketing, teaching skills, and patience, you can teach technology to elders through churches, local adult programs, or through commercial classes. Its fun, rewarding, not all that hard.
