Students for Seniors : Basic ICT Education for the Elderly

The mission of this project was to teach the elderly citizens the basic information and communication technology (ICT) skills. Students of information and communication sciences (museum studies and heritage management and librarianship) planned and realized this service learning project through interactive collaboration between Tin Ujević public library, Trešnjevka retirement home and Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. The education for the elderly, a social group that is least connected with the rest of the today's society through information technology, represents a very important issue for their social inclusion and staying in life's mainstream. The students taught the end beneficiaries the basics of information technology with the emphasis on social networks (Facebook and Skype). Out of 15 participants, the first level (basic computer skills) was successfully completed by 13 participants. Two participants had physical deficiencies (they could not coordinate the movements of their body with the visual input). The second level was completed by 9 participants, while 6 participants were able to complete the third level (creating and managing the Facebook account). The last level (creating and managing the Skype account) was successfully completed by only two participants