CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARDS SENIORS AS LEARNERS. CREATING AN UNDERSTANDING OF SENIORS AS DIGITAL STORYTELLERS

Age experiences are constructed in the way we address a certain age-group. People easily self-stereotype and depersonalize them self. “I am too old to learn” or “old dogs cannot learn new tricks”, are comments often heard in the context of technology in use.

One of the largest issues today is that the reshaping of the population pyramids and the rapid proportional growth of elderly especially in Japan and Finland. The ageing phenomenon is especially interesting because of its role as a change agent of society. The nature and meaning of being senior is changing. Cohorts approaching the somewhat stigmatized old age today do not fit the perception of previous generations. Future seniors are described to be healthier, better educated, more active, have more money to spend and are more open to digital technologies than the previous generations. The so called “baby boomers” are expected to have an important impact on the global economy. They could also be trailblazers in reshaping stereotypes and attitudes related to seniors as learners and users of digital technologies.

A promising trend reveals a change in the generational gap in technology use. While computers still remain the most used devices to access internet among seniors, one technological development has bridged the generational digital divide substantially; tablet computers. According to a global mobile consumer survey, adoption of tablet computers among 55+ people has risen remarkably. Interestingly this same age group is the fastest growing demographic segment on social media sites.

This article is a part of an EU funded project called AHEAD (Training High Tech seniors for Discovery) addressing seniors in six countries and aiming at promoting use of tablet computers for sharing travel experiences.

The article will elaborate upon the following issues:
• Seniors as innovative technology users
• Social elements are essential in the learning process among seniors
• Creation of an experiential context encourages seniors to learn to use digital technology