As many of you are aware, I run the website GoodOldTalk.com – a space for people over 50 which is part Computer Help Guides, part Forums, and part Social Network. It’s been online now for just over two years, and in that time it’s grown a membership of well over 500. My main aim behind the site was to help Seniors understand more about their computers, in particular, the internet. And what has evolved is this – Seniors, some of whom have never used Web 2.0 skills before, now post regularly on their own blogs, and interact on a daily basis with other Seniors in the GOT Forums. My oldest blogger is 94, and has posted about his 70th wedding anniversary; and in the forums we have gardeners, crafters, lawnmower racers and Grey Nomads all sharing opinions and swapping stories and photos!
In a world where many are marginalised technologically, I think that we often don’t place enough importance on the need for people to be digitally literate. Soon after GOT was launched, U.S. President Barack Obama designated October 2009 ‘National Information Literacy Awareness Month’. (He was probably unaware of GOT at the time, though!)
The value of GOT lies in the fact that Seniors are supported in learning more about their computers, and through the computer, about other digital technologies. Since discovering the whole concept of screencasting, I have been inspired to convert each of the GOT Computer Help Guides into this format, as I believe that this particular tool holds immense potential for enhancing the effectiveness of their learning, due to its ability to record demonstrations on the computer screen, and enhance these with audible narration.
So now all I need is a tool to give me 48 hours in day…
