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New Experiences with Older Adults
Learning Computing

Michal Vojkuvka, Czech Republic


Computer Courses - General
  • BUT-U3A offers computer courses exclusively for senior citizens (over 50 years and pensioners).
  • There are 4 to 5 courses a week (70 seniors per term).
  • Twelve-week courses are held once a week at the CISC Computer Learning Centre in two-hour sessions.
  • All the courses occur in the daytime.
  • Classes fill rather quickly once the syllabus is available.
  • Courses for beginners start from scratch ("secrets of using the mouse").
  • Basic courses lay a solid foundation for further learning.
  • There are only 15-20 students in a class.
  • There is only one student per computer in each class.
  • Everything is explained carefully and patiently (nobody falls behind).
  • Lectors provide high level quality instruction to give the seniors knowledge, understanding, experience, and ability to use computer.
  • Lectors give seniors printed handouts, written especially for computer courses provided by U3A.
Specificity of the Older Adult Education
  • Education emerges from life experience.
  • Teacher is only a guide, someone who facilitates the learning process.
  • Seniors as learners require more time to perform learning tasks and more opportunity to practice new skills.
  • Seniors have clearer, more immediate, and concrete goals for their learning efforts.
  • Older adults often have difficulty in seeing and hearing.
  • Seniors can experience difficulty in eliminating irrelevant information.
  • It is important for the staff to be able to provide individualized attention and encouragement.
  • Teacher must speak in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear clearly. Articulate carefully, and do not speak too rapidly.

Offered Courses

Course A - Computer Basics I (for Beginners)
  • Operating System MS Windows XP (Introduction)
  • Text Editor MS Word XP
  • Internet (Search in Internet)

  • secrets of using the mouse
  • what to do if the computer freezes

Course B - Computer Basics II (for Intermediate Students)
  • Operating System MS Windows XP
  • Text Editor MS Word XP
  • Spreadsheet MS Excel XP
  • Internet (Advanced Search in Internet)

Course C - Internet Technologies (for Advanced Students)
  • E-mail Communication
  • WWW
  • HTML and JavaScript

Course D - Internet for Beginners