bfs webinar: helping seniors learn
TRANSCRIPT
BFS webinar: Helping Seniors Learn
Presenter: Vivian Evans
Session time: 1:00 pm (AEST)
Before we start … Please check your audio
Where are you joining us from?
What’s in store today
Different Ways & levels to
Engage Seniors in
technology
Enticing the reluctant Learner
Tips & Resources for making
learning easier for Seniors
All content for today in one spot!
In our BFSV Wikispace
http://bfsv.wikispaces.com/helpingseniorslearn
It might not all be there now but more info to
come.
Different Kiosks & Different Seniors
Aged Care homes
Retirement Villages
Libraries
Community Technology Centres
Neighbourhood /Community Centres
Men’s Sheds
Please type in chat if you are from another
Resources…
Enticing the reluctant learner
Have you come across a
reluctant senior? –
Reluctant to use
technology?
What sort of things do they
say for their reason of not
participating?
Do they have to engage?
“There are a lot of seniors in our community who have no interest at all in using computers. Some of them say they just don’t trust them. Others can’t be bothered and would rather involve themselves in other activities that have more personal contact with others. I can understand this very well. I guess we are all different and if older people have activities in their lives that they are comfortable with and they are happy, who has the right to denigrate that or to try and find reasons why they don’t want to use computers? Each to his/her own.”
Sylvia BFS Google group Jan 29th 2015
Comments from BFS tutors
“I think a lot of elderly people are afraid of
seeming incompetent etc. They cover this up
by pretending they have no interest when I
think many would like to have a go.” All we can
do is continue to provide a friendly non
threatening environment.”
Diginellie on BFS Google Group January 2015
Do we all need to sit and operate a
computer to participate in BFS?
What websites could you
use as a group looking on
the big screen?
Think: fun, entertainment , engagement & information
Google Streetview Art Project
Explore the White House
https://www.google.com/maps/views/streetview/art-
project?gl=us
The Google Art Project
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/project/art-project
Playing Games!
http://bfsv.wikispaces.com/active_minds
Play together
Play individually
Play in pairs or a small
groupGets the mind active
FUN
Don’t even have to
touch a computer if you
don’t want to!
DJ Requests & Karaoke - YouTube
TIP: Do your research & have a play list ready
Dementia patients can use
Play music from the past
Past images on the screen (from family from
public websites e.g.
https://www.flickr.com/commons
Google earth - A lovely and telling story about
a pub in Scotland
Tips for a making learning easier
• Stating goals up front. “Today we will…”
• Limit information to 3 to 5 points
• Review and repeat essential information
(even from the previous session)
http://staging.necseniors.net.au/tutor/index.html
Online lessons perfect for
self paced repetition
Need to be hands on!
Keep steps simple (don’t need to show
all options) and enable them to repeat
the steps
Handout notes are useful – keep simple
and with images
Some positives and negatives to
handouts… (Can you share in text)
The Learning Environment
Minimise distractions
Make the workspace comfortable
Consider how you can assist with varying
disabilities (Ask for ideas from the BFSV Google
group – our collective brains-trust)
What do you think helps your
learners?
All of my over 80s at the moment have iPads-
they all love using these. “I have also found that
the over 80 brigade much prefer one on one
training as they find this a lot less stressful and
they can proceed at their own pace.”
Helen (Diginellie on BFS Google Group)
How you engage
Use real life examples and humour
Speak slowly and clearly but not patronising
Use positive reinforcement
BE PATIENT
More info see Staying Connected
Tips from Keith – his 25 Cents worth
Did we cover the key topics?
Different Ways & levels to
Engage Seniors in
technology
Enticing the reluctant Learner
Tips & Resources for making
learning easier for Seniors
More resources on http://bfsv.wikispaces.com/helpingseniorslearn
Any more Questions… please type in the chat
Don’t forget
Recorded BFS webinars: https://ala.asn.au/broadband-for-seniors/recorded-elluminate-session/
BFS wiki: http://bfsv.wikispaces.com/
BFS Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/bfsvolunteer
BFS Networkers: http://www.necseniors.net.au/support/bfs-networkers/