1. Teaching Tech to Seniors
Hello and Welcome.
Presented by Jessica Curtis and Megan Chrusciel

2. *One location. Serves a population of 90K+. 14.2% are above 65.

3. Our Outreach department brings personalized deliveries of material to schools, homebound patrons, senior centers, and nursing homes. Besides bringing materials to these patrons, Outreach also provides computer classes, ereader training, games and group activities, and story times for adults. All of this is done free of charge for those who live within the city school limits.

4. eBook and eAudiobook Tutorial for Smartphones and Tablets
Gadget Classes
eBook and eAudiobook Tutorial for Smartphones and Tablets 10
These are the classes...90% of attendees are over 50 and 70% of those are over 60.

5. Computer / Software Classes
We also offer software and website classes. Besides the ones you see here we offer classes on Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even Google Drive.

6. The way that the various generations or age groups think about things and how they learn can be very different from each other.

7. Generational Learning Styles
The learning styles listed here are generalizations, meaning that there will be those who don’t fit the mold, but they are good thing to keep in mind when you’re planning classes. Gen Y is those born between Gen x was born between And boomers were born between You’ll notice that the farther back you go, the more ‘traditional’ they get in their learning style.

8. Going further back, the traditionalists or the ‘silent generation’, born between get even more so. A class full of traditionalist and the boomer are expecting a methodical (step one then step two) approach to learning. They see the teacher as an authoritarian figure but also that it is the teacher’s job to instruct them (a.k.a. they’re guaranteed to learn something).

9. This is what everyone wants
This is what everyone wants. Both the people you’re trying to teach and everyone who’s ever tried to teach them. You want them to be able to use technology to its fullest potential and reap the benefits. To feel comfortable, intelligent, and not ‘too old’ to use ‘new’ technology. These people do exist. Many, many seniors dive right in, figure it out, or get help and just, well, get it. But these aren’t the people that we generally come into contact with.

10. This is the stereotypical senior patron or customer that we both fear and have regular contact with.

11. Have you heard this sentiment before; “it seems like kids today automatically know this stuff.” There is often a built-in fear that 1)everybody else already knows this 2)They can’t learn it or it will take to long to learn or 3) they’ll never catch up. It’s your job to offer them a (mentally) safe environment where they won’t feel like they’re bothering you and that they’ll actually learn something.

12. One of the main complaints that senior readers have about new technology is that there’s no manual. Now we know that we can give them one of the many, many books that are published just for them and their device, but what do we give them for our class or our interaction? And there should be a handout, otherwise you’re running into their same ‘no manual’ complaint. Well, what do all of these tech books for seniors have in common that we should use for our handouts?

13. Handout Guidelines Pictures. Pictures. Pictures. Focus on basics.
Easily read headers and explanations (no jargon).
Arrows and Bubbles.
They have picture. Lots and lots of pictures. They have section headers that tell them exactly what they’re looking at and a short, jargon-less explanation. Arrows and bubbles will show them where, on the big picture you’ve given them, what you’re explaining or telling them to click on. Remember, once they leave the class they are thinking that they’re on their own and you want to give them something that they can practice on.

14. Here are some examples from some of the Classes. Notice the pictures
Here are some examples from some of the Classes. Notice the pictures? The arrows? The bubbles? You need to think of the interactions that you have and think, where have people gotten stuck. Do they keep saying ‘where’, ‘what is that again’? This is also where the ‘basics’ part is important. Pare it down.

15. I wanted to focus on this for a second
I wanted to focus on this for a second. How many of you have met senior patrons who are scared to death that they’re accidently going to buy something when they click on things? I really recommend adding something about ‘free’ vs. ‘pay’ items part if what you’re teaching has apps. This is very common worry and you emphasize exactly what they need to do, or not do, in the handout.

16. Tech Aides Tables Listening Devices Rollerball Mouse WiFi Emitters
Stylus
So you have your handout! Let’s talk about the classroom itself. I know tables might sound silly, but a lot of classes have just chairs, movie style. I really recommend a table space if you have it available. Some seniors are shaky, weaker, or are desperately trying to take notes while you’re talking. Anybody recognize this, “what did she say!”? Some folks hearing is going south. Remember these were the generations wherein rock started. They have a head start on hearing loss. There are products available, like the ones you see hear, that enable someone with one of the modules to plug directly in to the speaker. I have an example that’s going around the room. But the speaker wear the thing with the mic and it transmits to the one wearing the headphones. These are amazing and make it possible for some people to take a class in the first place. The rollerball mouse is a special mouse wherein the user just has to move the ball, not the entire mouse. How many you of you have given classes just on the mouse? Or realized after a basic PC class that you need basic mouse classes? Making these at least available can save time and frustration on both your parts. I’ve had several people go straight to best buy after they learned these existed. And finally wifi emitters. How many of do outreach classes to seniors or want to? A lot of places have no wifi or sketchy wifi so that it’s nearly impossible to give a reliable class. If you had one of these, which can allow a roomful people to get online, you could take your classes to people who can’t get to the library. And finally, let’s talk about stylus’. One of the biggest learning curves and difficulties that seniors experience is an interaction with a touch screen. Touchscreens work by interacting with anything that can hold an electrical charge. Some folks have such papery, thin skin that they actually do have a hard time interacting with the screen. They also might press too lightly, or more commonly, too hard or have stability issues. A stylus gives them that stability and allows for good contact every time. It also allows them to keep the screen much cleaner, which is a complaint I’ve heard more than once from our senior members.

17. In the Classroom Have smaller classes Patience, patience, patience
Less material
Focus on basics
Handouts with pictures (LP)
Patience, patience, patience
Pay attention to body language
Confused expression
Not touching the device
Frustrated or resigned sighs
Say it often: “We’re here to help.”
Introduce YouTube
Crunch time. Class is in session. Here are some rough guidelines for tech classes that are geared towards seniors, or where you know that they are the mostly partakers.
First of all: Have smaller classes. If you need to have a bigger class, have a certain #of people to help per person in order to help those who fall behind. Remember you’re not teaching the book that’s on your shelves. Focus on a few things, the basics. Have that handout. With pictures. If you can make it in LP, all the better. Okay. Now for patience. There are those few self-aware souls who know that they’re impatient. Everyone else thinks that they’re great at this…and it’s not always true. These folks are often talking to you because you are their last resource. They’ve tried family members and friends and guess what, they were all annoyed, did it for them when they didn’t get it right away, went too fast, or berated them. All of these, by the way, are forms of impatience. You have to cultivate it. Practice. You have to empathize on purpose with the person or people you’re helping. This is also where body language comes in on your part. Don’t sigh. Cross you arms, tap your fingers, or any of the other classic impatience signs. They are looking for this, because they’ve probably already seen it in everybody else they’ve gone to for help. Ask your family, friends and coworkers how they know when you’re impatient (because they will know), and then consciously try not to do those tells. Their body language should determine the flow of every class. Which means you have to pay attention to them. Is someone looking confused? A really big tell is when they stop interacting with the device. At that point they may only be a step of two behind, but they’ve given up. Also, sighs and other sounds of frustration mean that what you just said or did didn’t work for them. That’s when you want to walk over and help. Another thing this age group tends to do is apologize. I’m sorry I’m bothering you. I’m sorry you have to explain it again. I’m sorry I’m being a pill. You should reassure them. Tell them, ‘that’s why you’re here’. ‘That’s why I’m here’. Or the general reassurance. ‘we’re here to help”.

18. Teaching One-on-one eMedia – set up their device Don’t take over
Be prepared to repeat everything
Use positive phrasing (“Try this” instead of “not like that”)
Have them show you what they know.
Listen.
There are tons of ‘teaching’ moments that don’t occur within a classroom setting. How many of will help someone with a tech question at the desk (or are allowed to)? These interactions will generally be very different than a classroom setting. Here are some suggestions for those one-on-one interactions. First, if you’re helping them set something up, be it an address or the overdrive app, I recommend that you go ahead and set it up. Install the app from the store. Type in their information, because let’s face it, unless you’re teaching them how to get apps, this is not something that they need to know. You’re going to be showing them a lot of information once the thing is installed. A step by step of what you’re doing when all you’re doing is getting the app downloaded can be overload. 2 – Once you’ve installed the app or set up an account, hand the device back and let them do everything (like searching for a book or accessing their inbox). That is something that they’ll need to know. Too many times I see well-meaning staff take the device back and do it for them when the patron is there to learn just that. This means, of course, that it might go more slowly, but the patron will be more confident and get the muscle memory. Be prepared to repeat everything. Again, not true for everybody, but just expect it and see it as part of the process. The people you’re helping are often already nervous and frustrated when they get to you. Watch your words and your phrasing. Just like my business writing class said, try to take out any negative words like ‘no’ or ‘not like that’. Instead, spin it so that it’s encouraging like if they click the wrong thing, don’t say ‘no. not like that. Do this.’ Instead say, ‘try it this way’. This next one is a big one that often reveals our previous experiences and our bias. If an 80 year old comes in and says ‘I need help with FaceBook’ your first thought might be ‘they need a facebook acount set up’. But 10 questions in, you realize that they only thing they need is how to ‘unfriend’ someone. Having them open and access things will also show you where potential problems are if they can’t articulate it. This is also where the good ol’ reference interview and listening comes in to play. When someone says ‘can you help me with this thing’, ask them ‘what do need to know?’. If there answer is ‘everything’ it means that they’re overwhelmed. Ask what they’re trying to do that isn’t working. You’ll usually get an immediate answer like, ‘I can’t open my s’ or ‘I can’t get on the internet’. Another part of listening, and patience, is when we have a ‘rambler’. This is the person who wants to tell you the whoooole story about the device and their woes. You’ve got to be patient and hear them out. You know or think that it isn’t pertinent to what they’re there to ask you about…but it is absolutely pertinent to them.

19. Training Staff Practice with each other. Make expectations clear.
Make a class outline.
Shadow

20. So remember, this is what we’re after
So remember, this is what we’re after. We have the skills, or can learn the skills, to be able to help seniors and technology coexist. The main thing is having empathy and patience while you show them how.
For those of you who might be starting from scratch in terms of tech classes, I wanted to let you know that these class handouts and more are available for downloading on the reference and information division site. The Westerville Library will also come and teach your staff how to conduct such classes (or you can come to ours). I’ve done this all over the state with very happy results. Thank you all for coming.

21. THANK YOU FOR COMING! Teaching Tech to Seniors
Hello and Welcome.
Presented by Jessica Curtis And Marie Corbitt