Deborah Martin's talk at the June Girl Geek Sydney event

1. How to teach your
grandmother …
Deborah Martin

2. About me
• Started as an IT trainer (Wang word processing) in
the eighties
• Now retired and volunteer as a trainer for a seniors
computer club

3. What she says about you
My daughter said I wanted to know how to
a while ago she’d do it for myself, but she
show me, but she said it would be quicker if
she did it for me
hasn’t had time -
she’s too busy
with her job
She did show me
once, but she goes
so quickly I got lost

4. What you say about her
I gave her a laptop
She refuses to do for Christmas and
online banking – she’s hardly
she won’t even use touched it
an ATM
She struggles
with basic skills
I showed her, but like using the
the next day mouse
she’d forgotten

5. Seniors as learners
• Source: ‘Bridging the Divide: Older
Learners and New Technologies’, Terry
Taylor and Josie Rose, 2005
• Older learners prefer:
• Slower paced learning
• Self paced learning
• Clear written instructions
• Hands-on practice
• Learning that is relevant to personal interests
and needs

6. How to teach your
grandmother 1
• Make sure her computer works!
• Let her control the mouse and keyboard
• Start with what she knows and build from there
• Do short sessions, frequently
• Encourage practice

7. How to teach your
grandmother 2
• Break complex tasks down to simple steps
• Demonstrate step by step, then let her
practice step by step until she’s confident
• Write steps down – numbered, large font
• Offer simple strategies for self-help, e.g.
switch everything off and restart

8. How to teach your
grandmother 3
• Use everyday metaphors to explain jargon and
concepts
• Show how it relates to her personal interests
• Be patient
• Be positive

9. Computer clubs for seniors
• Older learners prefer to learn with people of a
similar age, in small informal groups
• There is a network of computer clubs for
seniors across Australia
• www.ascca.org.au