University Senior Students on the Web

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2017

The role of advanced technologies is being discussed in public, academic and government environments. The paper deals with the current issue of computer literacy in the elderly people with focus not only on benefits but also on pitfalls connected with their use. The paper brings an insight into the technical literature review. It strives to summarize key beneficial outcomes and contrary unexpected obstacles which elderly people face when they use information and communication technology. A set of examples as practical demonstrations of real computer usage by elderly people illustrates the issue on the national scene. The research was run to explore the computer literacy in elderly people from three perspectives, roughly corresponding to three kinds of elderly people reflecting their physical and mental state. Findings from the surveys which were conducted with a group of elderly respondents in the senior homes and findings from the interview with a young lector teaching old generation show the issue in the local city environment. A question on benefits of organized course for the elderly from the questionnaire explores the survey from four perspectives and brings enriching findings. Findings from literature review correspond to findings gained from the research. Positive attributes of active utilization of the Internet contribute to active ageing, to the combat of the feelings of social isolation and loneliness.

This project examines the impact of the Internet on the everyday and social life of senior citizens through the integration of quantitative data and qualitative interviews. The Literature Review shows that many older people have achieved a familiarity with computers and the Internet, which was not the case a decade ago. This research argues that the Internet has opened up many new possibilities for senior citizens in terms of communication, entertainment and information. According to the primary research, the majority of the older age group feel more confident with new technology and their attitude has become more positive when using it. Some older people feel that the computer screen layout should be improved. Also the internet risk issue is of concern to some older people, but at the same time the majority of older people feel the Internet can be safe if it is used wisely. Keywords: Communication, Computer, Interface, Internet, Older people, Social life, Technology, Usability and e-commerce.

International Review

Information and communication technologies have become an integral factor in the daily lives of people over the last decade. Although their usage allows significant advantages, there are still a lot of people in the world who do not use such technologies. In industrialized countries, the reason for this is not in economic factors, but age seems to be a significant determinant of the digital divide. Recently, however, the number of older adults taking advantages of the Internet has been growing. Numerous authors state that a key aspect of successful aging is to remain actively involved in life in old age. In this regard, it is pointed out that online communication and new media present many new opportunities and challenges for the social inclusion of older people. The aim of this paper is to examine the attitudes and opinions of older people towards the use of the Internet and the reasons for its use. The research was conducted using the 2019 survey method on a sample of 240 people o...

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2020

Currently, aging has become an important topic as the amount of older adults is increasing. Therefore, there are efforts to prolong an active life of older people, and ICT, both devices and services may assist them in this process. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of the internet among older people in the Czech Republic with respect to their age and gender. The key methods exploited in this study include a questionnaire survey. The results indicate that the age is a decisive factor in the use of the internet by seniors. However, the gender seems not to belong to important factors. Generally, older people mostly use the internet for socialising (communication, sharing images), gaining information and exploiting e-services (banking, shopping). The results also suggest that they should be trained in the use of the internet and considering the collected information.

5th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, 2013

This paper provides the results of a study conducted of students in the University of the Balearic Islands’ University Programme for Seniors, known as the Universitat Oberta per a Majors (UOM). For this study, we devised a questionnaire with items related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to be completed by the students in the programme during the 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years, which resulted in a sample of 215 students. The priority aspects evaluated were the students’ use of the Internet, how often they used it and the contents they searched for most, which were all analysed from a gender perspective. Thus, we can prove that significant gender differences in Internet use exist and that its use improves the students’ different skills, such as communication amongst themselves and other generations, physical and psychological well-being and creativity and adaptation to the new society. The use of ICTs involves a positive adaptation to the changes taking place in society, as reflected in the data, since the senior population currently enrolled in education programmes for seniors have changed their way of thinking regarding the use of ICTs; they perceive them as a tool that can help them in their daily lives. It is also noteworthy that although the number of women participating in the programme is higher than the number of men, women use ICTs less than men do. According to our data, participation in an education programme will make it possible for this situation to change by helping bridge the gender digital divide.

Emerging Science Journal

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to detect and analyze some factors which hinder or contribute to the positive use of the Internet by older people living in Central Europe, specifically in one region of the Czech Republic. Methods: The key method is a questionnaire whose results were processed by using a model of logistic regression. The research sample includes 432 seniors from senior houses, municipal ICT courses and the University of the Third Age, all coming from the region of Hradec Kralove in the Czech Republic. Findings: The findings of the proposed model confirmed that the key determinants in the Internet use by older people were age, previous experience with IT in their past occupation and active use of IT enhanced by some kind of training, in this case attending IT courses of the University of the Third Age. Education and gender have not proved to be significant determinants in this study. Novelty/ improvement: The introduced model of logistic regression enriches c...

2001

Abstract This paper explores learning via the Internet by persons over 55 who have not grown up with computers and are at risk of being marginalised in a technological society. Two semistructured interviews were conducted with each of 21 seniors. The participants were categorised into four largely sequential groups according to their pattern of Internet use,'Window Shoppers','eMailers','Searchers' and 'eSeniors'.

Social commentators are beginning to recognise that encouraging older adults' use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is an essential prerequisite for (over)developed countries such as the United Kingdom becoming bone fide information societies. To date, however, few studies have examined older adults' access to and use of ICTs in detail. This important aspect of the interaction between population ageing and societal change is more complex than the existing literature's portrayal of a dichotomy between 'successful users' and 'unsuccessful non-users'. We still know little, for example, about the reasons and motivations underlying older adults' adoption or non-adoption of ICTs. We also know little about the nature of this use and the support which older adults draw upon regarding ICTs. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we know little about the outcomes and 'life-fit' of older adults' (non)use of ICTs. The paper examines the extent and nature of ICT access and use by older adults in their everyday lives through two sources of data: (i) information collected from a sub-sample of 352 adults aged over sixty years taken from a large household survey of ICT use in England and Wales among 1,001 people, and; (ii) follow-up interview data from thirty-five of these individuals. The findings suggest that using a computer is not only a minority activity amongst older adults but also highly stratified activity by gender, age, marital status and educational background. Conversely, non-use of computers can be attributed to the low relevance and 'relative advantage' to older adults' lives. From this analysis the paper highlights the key issue of many older adults' ambivalence towards ICT in light of the limited relevance of new technologies to their day-to-day lives. The paper concludes by considering what steps can be taken to facilitate wider use of ICT by older adults; in particular how political and academic assumptions about older people and ICTs might be refocused, away from trying to 'change' older adults, and towards involving older adults in changing ICT.

European Journal of Communication, 2015

This article examines explanations for both Internet use and non-use by older individuals. Older adults are often considered a homogeneous group with uniform reasons for Internet non-use, or when they are online, practising a uniform range of activities. The study gathered data concerning senior non-users through a national telephone survey. Data concerning senior Internet users were obtained through a nationally representative online survey. The findings suggest that although a substantial part of the senior Internet non-users live in surroundings that enable Internet uptake, they seem to be less eager or unable to do so. Important differences among senior non-users are based on gender, age, education, household composition and attitude towards the Internet. Differences among users were based on life stage, social environment and psychological characteristics. This article thus reveals that older citizens are a very diverse group in which some are more likely to be digitally excluded than others.