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LOG ON, LEARN (LOL)
The LOL initiative will involve Transition Year (TY) students ‘buddying up’ with older people from their local community to teach them how to use computers and the internet. We call it TY LOL for short.
The project has been up and running in the school for a number of weeks now and has been very successful. It takes place each Wednesday afternoon in the school.
Background
At Leaving Certificate age in Ireland, 99% of students are able to use a PC / the Internet. In the ‘over 65’ age category, only approx 25% can use a PC / the Internet. This results in older people being excluded from all of the benefits of PC and internet usage, i.e.:
Research has shown that older people perceive computers as being ‘complicated’, ‘too hard to learn’, or ‘not for me’. When these perceptions are teased out, they normally stem from an underlying fear of technology in general or from a lack of understanding of how much using the computer could benefit their lives.
The research also shows that standard computer classes (i.e. classes run by adult education centers or computer training companies) are not effective for older learners. Older people can feel intimidated when they fall behind the pace of the training and often drop out, before the course completion date.
Intel, in collaboration with Microsoft and supported by An Post, has come up with an initiative
called ‘Log On, Learn’ or LOL for short.
What is TY LOL?
TY LOL is designed to be run, in school hours, for 6 -8 weeks of transition year.
Aim
The aim is to provide a safe, local environment where TY student tutors can pass on their PC skills to older people (over 65 year olds). The one-to-one aspect of this training will mean that the training is tailored to suit each older person’s needs. The training will take the older person’s initial skill level, learning pace, interests and hobbies into account. When an older person is encouraged to see how the computer can relate to their specific lifestyle and life interests, they are more likely to continue to use it.
While they will be asked to give feedback on their experience, older participants will not be tested or examined in computer skills, on completion. The removal of the ‘fear factor’ and of the perception that ‘computers have nothing to offer them’ is what counts.
Most libraries now offer free internet access. What is hoped is that on completion of the Log On, Learn course, older participants will feel confident enough to go and avail of this service, if they don’t already have access to a PC at home.