Social Support and "Playing Around": An Examination of How Older Adults Acquire Digital Literacy With Tablet Computers.
This study examines how older adults learn to use tablet computers. Learning to use new technologies can help older adults to be included in today's digital society. However, learning to use new technologies is not always easy, especially for older adults. This study focuses on how older adults learn to use a specific technology, tablet computers, and the role that social support plays in this process. Data for this project are from 21 in-depth interviews with individuals who own tablet computers. We examine how older adults engage with tablet devices and increase their digital literacy. The findings suggest that, for older adults to start to use tablets, social support plays an important role. In addition, a key way that many participants report gaining expertise with the technology is through "playing around" with the tablets. Suggestions for how to help older adults learn to use new technologies are detailed.
National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan circles0309@gmail.com.
Hsin-Yi Sandy
HS
Tsai
Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA.
Ruth
R
Shillair
Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA.
Shelia R
SR
Cotten
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003197:Computer Literacy; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D066310:Digital Divide; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support
digital literacy; learning; older adults; social support; tablet computers