Computer Literacy Program

Tell me and I forget !! Teach me and I remember..

INVOLVE ME AND I LEARN !!

Computer Literacy Program for Senior Citizens A Project by Mahir Bathija

• TO BRING SENIOR CITIZENS CLOSER TO NEW TECHNOLOGY: To contribute to the reduction of the digital and social divide that exists across. • TO SEEK INFORMATION WITH REDUCED DEPENDENCY Learning about computers is certainly something that will help occupy them during their old age. For the elderly, learning the basic use of computer can help them do important tasks such as paying their own bills, making business letters and communicating with their love ones that are far from them. • TO PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE DIGITAL AGE: Senior citizens have the potential to contribute to cultural and social dialogue through technology.

OBJECTIVE Aim of the Project

KEY PROBLEMS Biggest Challenges

ADAPTABILITY • User Interface • Changing Environment • Visual Accessibility • Qwerty Keyboard

TECHNICAL SKILLS • Understanding Computer Terminology • Using The Hardware & Software

HEALTH PROBLEMS • Recollection Information • Reduced Motor Skills • Stiff Hands e.g. Arthritis • Reading/Hearing Difficulty

COMMUNICATION • Language Barrier • Effective Listening • Limited Attention Span • Medium Of Instruction • Constant Repetition

KEY SOLUTIONS Tools Implemented

ADAPTABILITY

MAKING THE COMPUTER EASIER TO USE • Reducing Screen Resolu0on to 800 x 600px • Contrast Appearance for Enhancing Readability • Increasing Font Sizes and Icon Sizes • Reducing Mo0on Speed of Mouse

FAMILIARIZING THEM WITH COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND TERMINOLOGY • Making the Keyboard Easy to Use e.g. RED = Wrong = Backspace GREEN = Right/Go = Enter • Highligh0ng Alphabets of their name to improving typing


TECHNICAL SKILLS

CREATING SIMPLE FLOW CHARTS ON HOW TO USE COMPUTERS

KEY SOLUTIONS Tools Implemented HEALTH PROBLEMS

IMPROVING POSTURE TO PREVENT JOINT PROBLEMS

EXERCISES TO IMPROVE MOTOR SKILLS THAT HELP USING THE COMPUTER E.g. Beading, Play Dough, Shooting Marbles, Fixing the Peg, Squeezing the Ball, Stretching Exercises etc


COMMUNICATION

PROCESS OF COMPOSING AND SENDING AND EMAIL Crea0ng acronyms to help in Recollec0on of process

DRAWING LIFE PARALLELS TO EXPLAIN CONCEPTS BETTER Comparing the process of writing an email to writing a letter

ACHIEVEMENTS

BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS • Switching on/off the Computer with the help of teaching aid • Improved Eye-‐Hand Co-‐ordina0on and Motor Skills • Typing slowly using hunt and peck method • Fluent with basic computer terminology

USING SKYPE/GMAIL • Remembering Username/Password • Logging in and out of Skype using Flowcharts • Successfully making Skype Calls • Wri0ng Basic E-‐mails and sharing photos

Case Studies

ACHIEVEMENTS Case Studies

• Successfully using YouTube and other applications • Ordering music and books through unlimited resources online • Listening to prayers online and downloading them easily • Positively accepting and adapting to the new technology

BEFORE

AFTER

Initially the options were limited to Audio Players and prayer books which were difficult to source and inconvenient for the aged.

ACHIEVEMENTS Case Studies

• Efficiently maintains accounts using Microsoft Excel database. • Refers to online resources for new recipes • Shares personal recipes on online blogs

BEFORE

AFTER

• Initially the options were limited to Manual Accounts which were cumbersome. • Options were restricted to the recipes in cookery books

KEY TAKEAWAYS While we Teach, We Learn!

• SMALL EFFORT -‐ BIG DIFFERENCE: Tiny Steps in the right direc0on had an impact in their daily lives. • SENSE OF SATISFACTION U0lizing my 0me produc0vely to do something useful. • IMPARTING KNOWLEDGE Sharing my passion and knowledge to enable them with computer skills. • PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE Built on my endurance levels • ORGANISATION: Taught me to be systema0c and methodical. • FEELING OF JOY: Gave me immense happiness to see a smile on their faces

Education

Computer Literacy Program