Teaching Adults Technology

An older couple standing in the kitchen looking at a tablet while cutting a lemon on a wood cutting board

TeachSD Toolkit and Covid-19

The covid-19 pandemic is inspiring many individuals and organization across the country to use technology to connect with the people they serve. Estimates suggest that one in ten Americans do not use the internet. Lack access to broadband and costs associated with technology (e.g., monthly access fee) are barriers to using technology. Another reason for not using technology is not seeing it as relevant to themselves. Covid-19 provides a perfect opportunity to learn and teach technology skills.

Toolkit Summary

The TeachSD toolkit is the result of a two-year intergenerational technology program pilot. The toolkit includes three videos, an implementation guide, and a technology trainer orientation guide. These materials are designed to help individuals and communities develop an intergenerational technology training program in their community.

The videos developed for the TeachSD technology trainer orientation may be useful to individuals and organizations that are connecting with the people they serve through technology. The videos are free to be used by anyone and can be found on the SDSU Extension YouTube channel.

Videos

An older male adult composing an illustration on a computer screen.

Funder Acknowledgement

These materials were made possible because of generous support provided by Grantmakers in Aging and South Dakota Community Foundation.

References

Anderson, M. (2017). Digital divide persists even as lower-income Americans make gains in tech adoption. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/22/digital-divide-persists-even-as-lower-income-americans-make-gains-in-tech-adoption/
Anderson, M., Perrin, A., & Jiang, J. (2018). 11% of Americans don’t use the internet: Who are they? Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/05/some-americans-dont-use-the-internet-who-are-they/
Anderson, M., & Perrin, A. (2017a). Disabled Americans are less likely to use technology. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/07/disabled-americans-are-less-likely-to-use-technology/
Anderson, M., & Perrin, A. (2017b). Tech adoption climbs among older adults. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewinternet.org/2017/05/17/tech-adoption-climbs-among-older-adults/
Brown, L. E., & Strommen, J. (2018). Training younger volunteers to promote technology use among older adults. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 46(3), 297-313. doi: 10.1111/fcsr.12254
Perrin, A. (2017). Digital gap between rural and nonrural persists. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/05/19/digital-gap-between-rural-and-nonrural-america-persists/
South Dakota Dashboard. (2018). Connecting South Dakota’s future: A report on the deployment and impact of rural broadband. Retrieved from https://muninetworks.org/sites/www.muninetworks.org/files/2018-09-SDTA-South-Dakota-Final-Broadband-Report.pdf
Smith, A. (2014). Older adults and technology use: Adoption is increasing, but many seniors remain isolated from digital life. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2014/04/PIP_Seniors-and-Tech-Use_040314.pdf
Zickuhr, K. (2013). Who’s not online and why. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewinternet.org/2013/09/25/whos-not-online-and-why/