Rough Course Outline for "Teaching Tech to Seniors"

Intro to Web 2.0 or Intro to Social Media (aka Teaching Tech to Seniors)

Module 1: Computer Basics

• Terms & Equipment
• Software Concepts
• File Storage (Cloud, Flash/USB drive)
• Using Edmodo (course management)

Module 2: Safety 

• • Password selection & Protection
  • Spamming
  • Suspicious Emails (links & attachments)
  • What Personal Info to Share & What Not to Share

Module 3: Communicating & Sharing Ideas

• • Emails (gmail for in-class use)
  • Blogging (WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, etc.)
  • Skype
  • Pinterest

Module 4: Intro to Social Media

• • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • MeetUp
  • Possibly others

Module 5: Photo & Video Sharing (possible editing)

• • Instagram 
  • Flickr
  • Photobucket
  • YouTube
  • Vine
  • Online Photo Development (CVS, Walgreens, WalMart, etc)

Module 6: Online Shopping

• • Amazon
  • Ebay
  • Zulily
  • Travel Sites
  • Craigslist, ETSY

Module 7: Mobile Technology (BYOD or Bring Your Own Device - will be hard without WiFi)

• • iPad
  • Smart phones
  • Others (nooks, tablets, etc.)

All sections will review the following:

• Basic terminology and requirements
• Account setup
• Privacy & Safety
• Connecting to friends and family
• Being responsible digital citizens

Possible Objectives:

• choose the social network or networks that you can engage with
• understand the processes you will need to follow
• walk through the joining and publishing processes
• understand terminology
• dispel some of the myths about social networking
• understand the implications of some of the steps you are invited to take
• manage your accounts so that you can control your own data
• use social networking sites to enhance your life, not have them control you
  

I hope to have an a virtual classroom set up on Edmodo. I will use it for instruction, videos, activities, tutorials, and examples. It will be something students (and staff)can access outside of the classroom too. It will be an easy thing to add to each computer station in the lab; I will add it to the favorites and to the desktop.

 

I think I should probably include a section on Netiquette as well. Possibly in the section on Safety. It may be a good idea to include some information on Online Research and possibly Online Banking.

 

This will be my first experience teaching strictly the 50+ age group. I've done quite a bit of research on possible accommodations and strategies, and I've reviewed successful course programs from other areas; hopefully, the research and my own teaching experiences will help the course go smoothly. Any feedback or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

Teaching (Really) Older Students

I just received an email from the local senior citizens center, and I will be starting the new course I've been planning - Teaching Tech to Seniors. We will be covering social media, online communication, online safety, some computer basics, shopping online, how to select the right mobile device.....just not necessarily in this order. I will post my course outline and schedule once I've inspected the facilities and reviewed the course expectations with the director. It will be interesting to note the differences in learning styles and in the accommodations that will have to be made.

Recently, I have been rereading a fantastic book called The Technology Toolbelt  for Teaching by Susan Manning and Kevin Johnson. If you are interested in effective implementation of technology in the classroom, this book is an excellent resource. There are several different tech tools reviewed (Google Documents, Skype, etc.) in the text, but the best part is the guidelines the book offers. Using the guidelines will make selecting (and justifying) the tech tools you want to use in class a snap. Very comprehensive as well as affordable.

I almost forgot to mention the other email I received! I finally got my orientation letter from UTK's Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling. I am beyond excited and nervous! My calendar's marked for August 19th!

Learning the Ropes

Sad to say, there's not a lot going on in the education arena. I've been focused on learning the ins and outs of my new job. I picked up more responsibilities than I originally expected (that's what I get for being overqualified), but I've learned a lot and it's meaningful work. The fact that I get my own desk, can play Pandora all day long, and have the occasional bit of downtime make it A-OK in my book!

I have been working diligently on the 21st Century Job Seeking course and it's really looking good. So far, I like what I've pulled together. Good resources for each section....between research and feedback, I feel like the material and the methods will be effective. There's not a lot of interest in the course as yet, but I think they will offer it in the fall and spring. I hope they do because the pay is pretty nice.

On a completely different note, I just finished Dan Brown's Inferno. I knew the book didn't have the best reviews when I started it, so I had no expectations going in. I'm happy to say, I  loved it. The whole story completely freaked me out, but I was caught up almost immediately. Brown does an excellent job blending fact and fiction. So detailed...he makes me want to know more. Anyway, read it. It was scary good.