Teaching senior citizens

[Melalvai]

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

[Geonz]

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!).

[shootingstar]

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.

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? 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.

[shootingstar]

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/

[Aquila]

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!

[Bad JuJu]

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

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

[Bad JuJu]

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).

[Melalvai]

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.