Teaching senior citizens

This summer I'm going to be teaching a course for the Lifetime Learning Institute to senior citizens. The course is called "Science Controversies for Voters". It's four sessions of 1 1/2 hrs.

My plan is during the first class, we'll chat about the various issues we could learn more about. Global warming, genetic testing, genetically modified food, stem cell research, cloning, and so on. We'll pick one to learn more about next week. Then I'll run home and learn all I can about it before next week!

But, here's the important thing, while I'm learning about it, I'll keep track of every search word and search engine I use, every website I visit, etc. I'm going to ask them to do the same, only I expect less internet from them, possibly library visits, or something. I'd be at a complete loss to find information without the internet so I'm really looking forward to learning how they'll do it.

In addition to talking about what we learned from our searches, and how we found that information, we'll also talk about the sources of information, and how we can figure out who to trust and who not to.

Any suggestions? These folks are a good 3-6 decades older than me. I feel a bit presumptious trying to teach THEM something. I'm also a little uncertain about how we'll relate to each other, we're really from different cultures. I was thinking about how I relate with my own grandparents, but the two surviving are pretty far gone mentally, so that's not much help.

Your students will probably use the internet, too.

You relate pretty well to us old folks on TE, so I think you'll do fine in class. We're really not that different.

I think that what you are doing is a fantastic thing. I have a great deal of respect for the older generation and have an extreme dislike for how the older generation is treated within our society as a whole.

Telling them that you feel like it is presumptious trying to teach them something is a great place to start. It will most likely have the effect of putting you all at ease. Also keep in mind that they are accustomed to younger generations having wisdom and being in positions that you and I may see as reserved for older generations. For example, they go to physicians who are younger than themselves, they have their taxes prepared by younger people than themselves. etc. I would think that you will be received differently by each individual. Some will see you as a know it all, some as a granddaughter, some as an equal, and some as a superior. Just recognize that and embrace how each views you as an individual.

Just a personal irritation in what I see as a Social Worker - don't baby talk them. I pity the person that baby talks me when I am a senior. GRRR!!

Enjoy this opportunity. I will bet you will learn as much if not more than them. I always do when I am a presenter.

Wow, +1 on everything Flybye said. I was thinking just acknowledge the possible differences and get it out on the table.

might I ask why they need to be taught? My mother who is a senior citizen could teach YOU about these same subjects!
She is proficient on her computer, and at the library they know her by name.

Now a lot of seniors have a prejudice AGAINST computers because they never got comfortable with them, so maybe that's really what you need to be teaching them?

Just curious.

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Originally Posted by Melalvai

These folks are a good 3-6 decades older than me..... I'm also a little uncertain about how we'll relate to each other, we're really from different cultures.

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There's something about the term "senior citizen" I don't like, I can't quite put my finger on it though.
It seems like an outdated term. Your students have signed up for a class which means they're involved and interested in the world. I'm sure they're no strangers to the internet. I've known people younger than me who were computer illiterate.
You say you're from different cultures-do you mean different generations?
As for being a young-ish instructor in a classroom of older students, anyone can learn from anyone.

I've always wanted to learn more about cheese, Shakespeare, and World History but I don't think those issues will be coming up in the election.

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Originally Posted by Flybye

I pity the person that baby talks me when I am a senior. GRRR!!

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Chuckle...a little digression....when my mother was sick, there were two things that would set this sweet, kind person off. The first was talking down to her as a "little old lady"....oooh, she'd get upset. The second was the implication that since she was in her 70's she should plan on dying any day. Not because she was sick, but just because 70 meant "old and ready to die". I believe the first doctor to imply that got quite the earful :eek:

But, to the OP, everything Flybye said. Be honest about your feelings and think of yourself as a discussion facilitator more than a teacher and I bet you'll do just fine.

I just re-read your post.
The subject of your class is using the computer but you're going to use the "Science Controversies For Voters" to focus on.
Two treats in one.

When I read

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Originally Posted by Melalvai

and how we can figure out who to trust and who not to.

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I initially thought it was like a parent telling their kid not to talk to strangers :o
but you meant to say
"how to tell if a source is credible".

OK, I get it now.

Melalvai, that sounds great. I think you'll find that some folks are VERY experienced with internet use, and others not at all, so maybe one of your first discussions could be about all the different sources they know and use, plus what you know about---and then you can leave the choice to them. I expect it's the bringing together a discussion group with you helping to provide the focus, structure and guidance that is what they want in taking such a class. It sounds like it'll be a ton of fun, really.

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

My mother who is a senior citizen could teach YOU about these same subjects!
She is proficient on her computer, and at the library they know her by name.

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My Mom too. At 85 she uses a computer and has used a Mac for a long time. She's not blogging or anything like that, she's too busy and too involved.

A retired reading therapist she's involved with Friends of the Library on two Libraries. She reads a lot (anyone remember books?).

While she can Google with the best of her peers she'd prefer on any of the subject to tell you "Read this book, it's written by ____, publisher is _____ and on page 123 you'll find the following reference.". Like go read The Weathermakers right now.

Your seniors especially if they've lived in the area for a long time are aware of changes. My Mom sometimes points out that normally this plant or other would be blooming now, or changes in butterfly or bird migration that she notices. This usually is with the scientific and standard names.

Yes, it takes her longer now to come up with a term, remember the original sources, but it's there.

Be prepared to listen and you'll learn quite a bit. Not everything's online and your "students" memories are not. Hey, maybe you could teach them to blog, start a journal.

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

might I ask why they need to be taught?

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I'm going to be an instructor for the Osher Lifetime Learning Institute (OLLI), which is specifically for older learners. One of their things is that you're in a class with your peers. I approached OLLI because I wanted a place to teach something that is important to me, I approached some other organizations as well, with no results. The staff at OLLI just about fell over themselves to accomodate me. They think this is great and it's right in line with their latest project, which has to do with science education for seniors.

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

Now a lot of seniors have a prejudice AGAINST computers because they never got comfortable with them, so maybe that's really what you need to be teaching them?

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Well, if I were to say one is more important than the other, I would probably not disagree that learning to use a computer would serve them better. Someone else would do a better job of teaching that than me. As a scientist, I feel comfortable talking about science issues that come before voters (directly or indirectly). My expertise is not in teaching people how to use a computer. I don't know if OLLI has that as one of their courses.

thanks for the explanation! and good luck!

Personally, I think you are going to have a pretty diverse crowd if it's open to everyone, and that's tough. Remember, McCain is 71 years old, and he is the Republican choice to run our country! You will have well-educated, savvy people along with those who know nothing about technology. Exactly what age is this? Sometimes 55 is consider senior citizen, and a lot of us will be there within a few years, if not already. May I also suggest you have a plan way before? It is a recipe for disaster to only be one step ahead of those you teach. Ask any of us in the profession. Do you have anyone who has done this from which you can get some input? And most of all GOOD LUCK! It will certainly be rewarding!

Edit: I just saw where you are trained in Science. Teaching really is fun, so have a blast!

Edit #2: As for the "older" generation, my 21 year old son was playing WOW the other day (World of warcraft - an online game) and he points out a character on the screen and says "That's Brent and over there (as he points out another character) is Brent's grandma." Yup, she was online playing WOW and I hear she is good at it, too.

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Originally Posted by zencentury

There's something about the term "senior citizen" I don't like, I can't quite put my finger on it though.

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I don't remember off the top of my head what term OLLI uses. I wasn't sure what term to use either, but I know the emphasis is that classes are of peers. Sure anyone can sign up for a university course but then you're a retired schoolteacher in a class of 19 year olds. My class will be unusual because most of the other OLLI classes are taught by retired faculty.

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Originally Posted by zencentury

You say you're from different cultures-do you mean different generations?

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Maybe I'll feel differently when I've reached that generation, but I think the cultural changes that have occurred since they were my age are so great as to justify calling this a different culture.

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Originally Posted by zencentury

I've always wanted to learn more about cheese, Shakespeare, and World History but I don't think those issues will be coming up in the election.

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It would not surprise me if those are some of the other classes offered through OLLI. I remember one instructor teaches civil war history, and another about the missiles in Missouri.

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Originally Posted by zencentury

When I read

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Originally Posted by Melalvai

and how we can figure out who to trust and who not to.

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I initially thought it was like a parent telling their kid not to talk to strangers but you meant to say "how to tell if a source is credible".

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Oops! Yes, I meant the latter, like a religious website vs. a science website vs. wikipedia (or book or whatever) on stem cells. Not that I'd have biases about who to believe...

By the way, thanks everyone for the encouragement. I really am excited, and not much nervous (most of the time) about this course!

When it comes to information I love to hang around the school librarians' listserv at LM_Net (if you google that you'll find it). Their archives are online and they have lots of lessons on credibility and the INternet. (Some of it's very k-12 but much of it isn't.)
There's a great site out there about the hazards of dihydrogen monoxide (you know it's a killer!).

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Originally Posted by Melalvai

In addition to talking about what we learned from our searches, and how we found that information, we'll also talk about the sources of information, and how we can figure out who to trust and who not to.

Any suggestions? These folks are a good 3-6 decades older than me. I feel a bit presumptious trying to teach THEM something. I'm also a little uncertain about how we'll relate to each other, we're really from different cultures. I was thinking about how I relate with my own grandparents, but the two surviving are pretty far gone mentally, so that's not much help.

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I think it's great you plan to integrate abit on information literacy..it is something professional librarians lobby hard in their line of work. I have my MA in Library Science and have worked as a librarian ...so far never in a public library, but in medical, engineering and law libraries for past um.... almost 1/4 century. Does that make me a senior citizen? :D I'm 49...a late baby boomer generation. A generation where the older baby boomers have experienced some profound social changes of 1960's, divorce, women in the workforce in droves, etc.

do keep in mind that the some of the research databases you had access over the web when you were a student/faculty member, were purchased as part of digital use license by your university library and you had the benefit as a paying student/faculty to access. These licenses cost thousands of dollars.... the ordinary person on the street doesn't have access unless they have a university ID password or they personally walk into the library. (That way the library director can control the access without the hassle of passwords ..passed around.)

Since you are a PhD graduate, presumably you are aware of the hidden Internet. Google does not reach into proprietary databases and this is even for open, free databases produced by many non-profit, credible organizations world-wide, never mind hundreds of fee-based databases.

And there is still ton of hard copy current information..not converted to electronic, still being published.

No wonder, secondary research requires a person to be pretty savvy and strategic in the scope of their search or they will go abit nuts.

Perhaps best just to accept your students will teach you something simultaneously as you teach them. Even better, think of yourself as a informed facilitator with a group of adult learners.

I agree there will most likely be a diverse range of educational and literacy levels in your class. How exciting!

And may I add most of all....my partner who has cycled over 100,000 kms. in past 15 years, is your consummate cycling municipal advocate...turns 65 in a few months. He has a MBA (Master's in Biz Admin) and undergraduate university degree in Civil Engineering. He has just set up a cycling facility planning consulting firm with 2 other biz partners.

And he uses computers alot. The other retirees he hangs out are: cyclists, university or college-educated, computer literate and several have multiple language fluencies (not just curse words & restaurant menus)>

I humbly give this example..melavi...be forewarned. ;)

Or to make life abit easier...if there was a local/PBS show on a scientific topic of note that students could view...to discuss in class as a starter...

Does the U.S. have an equivalent scientific TV broadcaster/journalist like David Suzuki on The Nature of Things? Guy has his PhD in genetics but has redirected his career for past few decades to educate the masses about science and developments http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/

This sounds GREAT! Way to go for arranging it. I'd love to have a course like that in my community.

I've done some discussion series things through the local public library (on Shakespeare, since that's what I do), and had a wonderful time. There's a very active community of mostly senior citizens who join these series, and go to other classes and such, and they're great to work with. They have interesting and varied life experiences. I worked with people who talked about the "last time I was in London to see..." and people who've never seen a live play, and it's a balancing act.

May I suggest that you put together a one page handout that tells people how to do an effective key word search, and points them to a couple useful sites? (If you like blogs, maybe point them to Pharyngula or Respectful Insolence? Both are generally really good at communicating science information to a lay audience; Pharyngula is more biology, while RI is medical.) The one page thing will help people who don't feel quite comfortable have something with them when they sit in front of a computer to try it out.

I hope you have a great time!

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Originally Posted by Geonz

There's a great site out there about the hazards of dihydrogen monoxide (you know it's a killer!).

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Umm, water? I guess it can be a killer, can't it?:D

As far as the research and your feeling of being presumptious in teaching them, you might present it as situation in which you're teaching each other. That is, as you share with them the "joys" of internet research, maybe they can share with you and their classmates the kinds of non-internet research activities they do. Have them keep working bibliographies (or you can call them research notebooks, if that term seems less formal) and talk about surprising things they've learned or sources that made them rethink their opinions.

Sounds like a great thing to do, and I'm betting you'll enjoy it immensely. St. Augustine said, late in life, "I am still learning." Other than "I am still cycling," I can't think of a better motto for one's later years--in fact, one's whole life.

Here's a term for older students that I've heard: SOTA (Students Over Traditional Age).:rolleyes:

Those are some good suggestions & resources. I will be digging up this thread again.
Dihydrogen monoxide can suffocate small children, furry animals, and cyclists who fall into the river. Be careful with that stuff.