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!).

[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.

[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!