Internet Interest Levels - Term Paper Example

 Information Literacy and Technology: Common Public Library Setting Situation and Context for Information Literacy: The elderly of the United States represent a significant and growing portion of population. In the year 2006, those aged 65 and older numbered 37 million, representing 12.4% of the population. The elderly population is expected to increase dramatically. By the year 2050, the population is forecast to more than double (to 86 million people), with those 85 years and older to increase in population more than five times its current count of 4 million at the moment (http://www.agingstats.gov, 2008). Although 56% of U.S. residents report using the Internet, a study conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project (2001) reported that only 15% of the elderly population have access to the Internet, and in a survey of the general population from the same study, 81% of the people who said they would never go online were over the age of 50. While people in younger age brackets have led part or all of their lives with computers at work, school, and home, the elderly have simply not grown up with the computer and the online community. Even so, studies have shown that computer and Internet interest levels among the elderly and younger people are identical (Czaja, 1997). Social stereotyping by a younger population has assumed that the elderly have no interest in becoming wired, and the interpretation of elderly feelings of uncertainty and self consciousness concerning computer use has been interpreted as techno-phobia by the younger population. For years, the elderly population has largely been “written off” by those who could have otherwise intervened more positively. Consultation with the librarian revealed that Mukilteo Library’s main users are the elderly and teens. Teens may have the chance to learn information literacy and information technology through their school or school libraries. However, the elderly have a very low chance to learn these skills, and moreover Mukilteo city and library have no senior centers or services for seniors in Mukilteo and the surrounding communities. Mukilteo Library serves approximately 2,000 elderly in the city of Mukilteo (U.S. Census Bureau). Although it is the responsibility of Mukilteo Library to serve not only the senior population, but the community population as well, only the senior population is relevant for the purpose of this assignment. Mukilteo Library will design three-part training workshop which is aimed at elderly people, age 65 and older; who have had little or no previous exposure to computers and the World Wide Web. This workshop will be held in a classroom setting, in the computer lab, as will the lab portion. These courses will consist of one hour long sessions held once a week for three weeks. Throughout the three sessions there are teaching methods and learning opportunities presented to appeal to a wide range of learners. When students register for the class, pre-Session 1 survey is served to them to help the instructor get a sense of each student’s experience with and interest in computer and Internet use and whether there are any physical or cognitive limitations she could expect and make provisions for. This particular survey is limited in usefulness if a student has no experience with using a mouse. A more likely version of this pre-survey would be a paper version, if possible, so that each session could be modified appropriately. Vision: In 2004, 1,461 Seniornet.org members and Website users responded to questions designed to help SeniorNet plan their development of products and services to meet the needs of their users in a better way. The survey revealed much about use and interest areas. Communication was the most important feature of Internet use for respondents with well over half stating that e-mail was the most important use they had for their computers. 71% replied that e-mailing family and friends was of the greatest interest and 39% enjoyed sending and receiving photos via e-mail. 56% of the respondents said e-mail was where they spent the most time on the computer. When asked about what features of the Web they were most interested in using, and/or learning about, the highest percentage (37%), replied they liked to find information about their health. The remaining responses were fairly evenly divided among such things as using online shopping safely, chatting, using government websites, managing finances, and conducting genealogy research. Anyone planning to meet the needs of elderly Internet users is going to plan to meet a diverse range of interests. When asked about reasons for wanting to become more effective Web users, the responses were evenly divided between • becoming better informed consumers; • taking more informed charge over health and personal finances; • being a better informed citizen; • learning about current trends and history; • being able to be a distance volunteer for organizations of interest; • taking part in book chat groups Although it is clear the elderly have a great diversity of interests in using the computer and accessing information with it, and also understanding their keen interest in e-mail, I have narrowed down some of the needs and skill-building necessary before entry into future workshops covering such things as e-mail access. Goals and Objectives: • OBJECTIVE 1: Basic computer awareness and handling skills Skill: Identify parts: screen, keyboard, mouse, power switch, and power source. Skill: Mouse use Skill: Keyboard use • OBJECTIVE 2: Basic World Wide Web awareness and handling Skill: Recognize basic anatomy and function of the Web Skill: Browser interface use Skill: Search engine use and information retrieval • OBJECTIVE 3: Basic awareness of information authority and security Skill: Recognize that not all information on Web is authoritative or benign Skill: Evaluate sources Skill: Recognize classic scams aimed at elderly, both online and traditional Skill: Use the Internet to avoid scams Activities and Typical Sessions: Learning Styles: Throughout the three sessions there are teaching methods and learning opportunities presented to appeal to a wide range of learners. Immediately in Session 1, any Learner 3s will be gratified to find out what exactly it is one does with a mouse via the mouse exercises and visits to the links, the latter perhaps appealing to Learner 1 when she discovers that the mouse can take one to places of interest. In Session 3 there is some partner work to allow the learners an opportunity to exchange ideas with one another in private conversations, and then to report their findings to the rest of the class, which might be of interest to Learner 4. Lectures coupled with interactive PowerPoint slides, and hands-on activities give the learners something to listen to, to see, and to do in order to vary, and enhance, their learning experience. Ideally, this workshop would be available online to serve as a means of review for some learners, and a means of independent study for others. Example Session: The ARCS framework is the most recognizable teaching method employed in this workshop. Identifying “Good” Information: Session 3 Computer-based Information Literacy for Elderly Concept 1. Information on the Web is abundant but largely uncontrolled; 2. As a result of the former, not all information found on the Web is accurate, unbiased, or benign to the intended user; 3. Reliable organizations exist that vet Web sites. Tools exist to help us do our own vetting to help protect ourselves and others from victimization Objectives (Students will be able to) 1. Use reputable services to find reliable information, such as Seniornet.com 2. Use an assessment tool to determine whether information on the Web is reliable 3. Use the Web to help determine the reliability of offers made in the “real world” 4. Use the mouse, keyboard, and search engine to execute the above objectives 5. Verbally describe actions and experiences Activities 1 Attention (10 mins.) (Understanding the basics of WWW history, operation, and architecture) 1. Introduce session with slide from Web site, http://www.jointpainremedy.com/?adMac=2320547000-1117577394&adSEN= using one of the quotes from the page, such as, “Scientists develop all-natural secret formula that stops crippling arthritis, joint pain and muscle pain within 15 minutes flat…even if you’ve been suffering for years.” Ask for immediate responses to this statement 2. Hand out slide worksheets instructing the students to make notes on each slide as needed and outline agenda for the session: • What is out there on the Web, anyway? • Identifying and using trusted resources • Becoming your own trusted resource • Evaluation of session and workshop 3. Discuss the Web as a source of information, its history, and basic architecture, including how information is put on the Web. Stress that anyone can put virtually any information on the Web, and even that which is illegal is often difficult to monitor because of the sheer volume of information on the Web Activities 2 Relevance (20 mins.) (Identifying one reputable source that vets Web information, using a basic set of reference questions to evaluate a Website, checking the reputability of a source, verbalizing observations) 1. Still, there is a great deal of benign and even great information on the Web. Let the students click on the link, http://www.seniornet.org/jsnet/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 and walk them through a number of features, perhaps letting them choose links for the class to explore together 2. Go to the Health link on Seniornet.com at, http://www.seniornet.org/jsnet/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=38 and click the link in the body of the page entitled “How to Search the Web for Trustworthy Health Information”. Discuss what they have found there 3. Many sites dedicated to senior citizens take a special interest in evaluating and presenting reliable resources to their users. Allow the students some time to explore these links 4. Go back to our site: http://www.jointpainremedy.com/?adMac=2320547000-1117577394&adSEN= Discuss the need to do one’s own research sometimes, such as is the case when they might be faced with information like this during a search. Break up the class into groups of two, and divide the website up into manageable pieces. Assign each group a section of the website so they can make an initial evaluation of the site. They should try to answer these questions (and give examples) to the best of their abilities on their worksheets: *Does this Webpage (From: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html ) • Make excessive claims to certainty? • Make appeals based on emotion? • Appeal to prejudice and innuendo? • Transform words to suit aims? • Minimize or maximize problems? • Use vague references to “experts”? 5. Ask students to report on findings. Discuss 6. Present the following information to the students and work through these issues together: • Who is responsible for its content? Find the author of this site, Arcangelo Capozzolo. Ask the students for ideas about finding information about Mr. Capozzolo. Let a student conduct a Google search for the class Authority and Reputability? Currency? 7. Although everyone everywhere is always in danger of being scammed, discuss how and why seniors are at particular risk http://www.fraud.org/elderfraud/elderbroch.htm Let them know this section of the workshop is not meant to scare them (or depress them), it is to show them that they have control over the riff-raff out there Activities 3 Confidence (20 mins.) (Using search skills to find information about a common scam, using guidelines for evaluating two websites, verbalizing experience) 1. Find a common fraud scenario to describe such as the telephone voter scam where an “official from the election board” calls to verify voters’ eligibility by asking for victims’ SSNs or credit card numbers and says that only immediate compliance will maintain their eligibility. Ask the students to give examples of how to react to this call. Fill in tips as needed. Ask caller to identify themselves, ask for a return phone number, firmly refuse request, and call police. Suppose we want to find out more about this and how to report it to a more direct official. Discuss possible search terms and let them pair up again to conduct the search and report on their findings 2. Allow the students to describe to the best of their abilities what they did and what significance each action had. Encourage analogies or other types of descriptions. Summarize their contributions Activities 4 Satisfaction (10 mins.) (Using search skills, using guidelines to evaluate information, verbalizing experience, evaluating session experience) 1. Give the student teams pairs of mystery links to choose from which include a reputable source and “fishy” sounding source ideally about a similar issue. Suggest they pursue evaluating each of the two sites using the Berkeley guidelines. Report on findings 2. Students can use their search skills to learn more about amazing-sounding offers that appear both online and “offline” before they act, providing they do not give scam artists what they want first. Send them to http://www.fraud.org/elderfraud/seniortips.htm for a complete list of fraud information 3. Discuss session experiences 4. Discuss the next three-part workshop about setting up and using an e-mail account (more about fraud and security) and developing advanced search skills to pursue an interest area/hobby. Direct students to the session and overall workshop Evaluations. If students would prefer to use a paper version, direct their attention to the form at the back of their worksheet packet. Award each student with a certificate of accomplishment 5. Invite students to remain longer to continue exploring the Web, or to review the workshop on their own, online via the Library website Activities 5 Online Session 3 Evaluation (5 mins.) Additional Notes: While much attention has been focused upon the special cognitive and physical needs of senior learners, it may not be obvious in the following instructional plans that these needs are being addressed. Many of the adaptive needs should be seen prior to starting these sessions. Care needs to be taken to make the PowerPoint slides as readable as possible by enlarging the font size, limiting distracting patterns, and using high contrast text against plain backgrounds (Zhao, 2001) The physical space should be well-lighted and easily accessed by foot, walker, or wheel chair (LTR, 2004). Some basic adaptive technology should be made available if possible, such as large monitors, magnifiers, track balls, the Assisted Mouse Adaptor from IBM which eliminates the effects of hand tremors on mouse operation, or software that alters Webpage appearance. There are several limitations of this workshop, the most unsatisfying being the assumption of the learner’s ability to get to the library. There is a basic assumption being made that the target group is relatively high-functioning and mobile. Where funds and other support are available, this would make a fine traveling laptop workshop available for those housebound and in nursing homes. Evaluation and Assessment: Three methods of assessment will be used to determine both the quality of the training module, the effectiveness of the teacher, and the experiences of the students. Students will be observed informally for cues indicating interests and anxiety levels and for skill achievement which will be calculated on a rubric. The rubric will be filled in by recording observations of student skills and by gathering results from the evaluation the students complete after each session. The results of the evaluation for each individual will be used to make modifications where possible for both the learning materials and in the delivery of the subsequent sessions (or future workshops) themselves. References Agre, P. (1998). How to Help Someone Use a Computer. SeniorNet. Retrieved Nov. 20, 2009 from: http://www.seniornet.org/php/default.php?ClassOrgID=5403&PageID=5506. Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics (2008).Retrieved Nov. 20, 2009 from: http://www.agingstats.gov/agingstatsdotnet/Main_Site/Data/2008_Documents/OA_2008.pdf. Fox, S. (2001). Wired seniors: A fervent few, inspired by family ties. Pew Internet and Family Life Project. Retrieved Nov. 20, 2009 from: http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/40/report_display.asp. Czaja, S. J. (1997) Handbook of Human Computer Interaction, second edition. Elsevier. McMellon, C. A.; Schiffman, L. G. (2002). Cybersenior empowerment: How some older individuals are taking control of their lives. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 21 (2), 157. SeniorNet (2005). How to Search the Web for Trustworthy Health Information. SeniorNet. Retrieved Nov. 20, 2009 from: http://www.seniornet.org/jsnet/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=38. U.S. Census Bureau, (2006-2008). American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates Data Profile Highlights: Mukilteo city, washington. Retrieved 10 Nov. 2009, from: http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US5347735&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US53%7C16000US5347735&_street=&_county=mukilteo&_cityTown=mukilteo&_state=04000US53&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&p. Zhao, H. (2001). Universal Usability Web Design Guidelines for the Elderly (Age 65 and Older). Universal Usability in Practice. Retrieved Nov. 20, 2009 from: http://www.otal.umd.edu/uupractice/elderly/. Read More