No Computers? No Problem!

Editor's note: Lana Litvak began teaching a computer class to a group of seniors at the Eastern Park Apartments Cyber Café — without having a single computer set up. The Café will be receiving eight brand new computers from BTOP (the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program), but in the meantime, why wait? There are so many ways to teach computer theory, and we asked Lana to explain.

Traditional views that older adults are not interested in computers, or cannot learn about them, are really a fiction. With the right training, seniors are just as capable as any younger group in performing computing tasks because — in my experience at Cyber Café — they are motivated and genuinely excited about learning. Older adults realize that being computer-savvy in the 21st century can be very rewarding, and classes help them bridge the gap in communicating — especially with their grandchildren.

For those seniors who still show resistance to learning new computer skills, it's easy to make them aware that computers play an important role in their everyday lives: scanning groceries at the local store, withdrawing cash from an ATM, or perhaps monitoring their blood pressure at home.

In our class, we talk about everything — from basic computer components to advanced features and benefits associated with having a Google account, which include Picasa, for editing and sharing photos; eBooks; Earth and Street View for online exploring; Checkout, for secure online purchasing; Translate for converting text into many languages; Calendar for staying organized; and Google Voice, which we show them how to set up and place free phone calls within the U.S. and Canada.

In our class, we also spend a significant amount of time talking about social media (Facebook, Tyze, Skype, and others). We go beyond traditional email by exploring some other popular channels of communication like instant messaging vs. text messaging, video chatting, understanding of blogs, and even becoming familiar with most common chat acronyms. I educate about choosing the right Internet service provider and the evolution of Internet services (from dial-up to fiber optic — the next generation of speed), introduce the concept of Wi-Fi and streaming media, talk about danger of computer viruses, and discuss the pros and cons of online banking … the sky's the limit!

I have discovered it is very useful at the beginning of every class to share with my students some interesting story, data, or facts: it can be as simple as the address for a helpful website, or the history of the earliest computers, or a sophisticated term such as GUI (graphical user interface), which will be added to their computer vocabulary. This not only keeps students' interest and eagerness to return to the next class, it also allows them to impress their friends and family members with tech-savvy knowledge.

About 45% of seniors at EPA are Russian-speaking, and about another 45% are Chinese-speaking residents. As a bilingual instructor, I offer classes in two languages and work with a student volunteer from the University of San Francisco Computer Science Department who teaches in Cantonese and Mandarin to ease the process of learning. This multilingual approach can be very helpful in attracting more students who otherwise won't have such an opportunity. Also this intergenerational connection is highly rewarding and demonstrates mutual benefits for young and older participants.

Here are just a few tips that I find very useful in teaching computer theory to seniors at Cyber Café:

• State the goals of the class before you begin instructing.
• Use an analogy whenever possible — connect new concepts to things they already understand.
• Computer theory can be boring, so use humor and avoid a monotone voice.
• Emphasize that practice makes perfect; only teach one concept per class (60 minutes or less).
• Ensure the course and material is structured in a step-by-step method.
• Make sure that written content is relevant.
• Use visual material whenever possible; use slideshows and handouts to help seniors to remember.
• Interact during the class to keep them focused.
• Encourage seniors to ask questions; each question can be an opportunity to discover something new.
• For those who have computers at home, assign homework (whenever possible).

Yes, it requires a different approach to teach our respected elders how to communicate in the virtual world. You have to convince them on the fact that they can, indeed, learn new things. This requires mostly a great deal of patience, but if you enjoy teaching, you're enthusiastic about computers, and you're creative and able to empower others, then your senior group is guaranteed to do very well!

Lana Litvak, NCPHS, California