Computer Savvy Seniors

It’s back to school for thousands of seniors throughout the country.

T his time they’re here by choice – swapping the three ‘R’s that are reading, writing and ‘rithmetic for keyboard skills, mouse-clicks and surfing the internet. They’re the 17,000 students over the age of 55 who are getting up to speed with computers the Seniornet way.

Their 500 volunteer teachers are their peers. Some of those same Seniornet graduates have written their tutorials and manuals to suit their students. Seniornet is a Government-funded educational facility, which means these students are using latest computer systems which are the envy of their grandchildren.

Former Telecom executive Grant Sidaway started Seniornet 17 years ago in Wellington and he now oversees courses in 88 learning centres in cities, suburbs and rural towns from Doubtless Bay in the Far North to Invercargill in the south.

Far from ‘feeling the fear’, these seniors sign up for basic tuition leading, if they wish, into skills such as digital photography, movie-making or genealogical research.

There’s one gentleman in his late 90s who discovered computers just a few years ago, and who now teaches his contemporaries, although he’s shy talking about his new found skills and how much he enjoys teaching others.

“He’s got the real pioneering spirit and he’s typical of those who volunteer their skills back to Seniornet to help others,” says Grant Sidaway.

The internet as we know it has only been in existence since 1989 and it brings information on every conceivable topic into our lives at the click of a button.

For the generation who communicated by letter writing and waited for weeks or even months for a reply to arrive by post from the other side of the world, it is a mind-boggling concept.

A Waikato University study of 43 men and 55 women in three Seniornet clubs found that most overcame their nervousness of computer jargon and typing skills to become enthusiastic users.

No-one should ever be frightened of learning how to work a computer, says Grant Sidaway. “Using a computer is like driving a car. You can do it perfectly well without knowing how it works.”

SeniorNet    www.seniornet.co.nz