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Internet use and non-use: views of older users

Internet use and non-use: views of older users This paper reports the results of two connected surveys of computer and Internet use among the older population in the UK. One hundred and twenty questionnaires and interviews were completed with participants aged over 55 in Derbyshire and 353 questionnaires and interviews with over 50s in Scotland. Rates of use, computer and Internet activities, and reasons for use and non-use were investigated. These were backed up by four semi-structured interviews with IT trainers, describing experiences and issues of training this age group. The results indicate a “grey” digital divide, with many older people missing out on the benefits that computers and the Internet can provide. They also indicate some of the reasons why older people do not use computers and the Internet more. These suggest some practical ways forward, highlighting the importance of changing older people’s misconceptions about computers, better informing them about what they are, what they can do and how they can be of real practical use. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Universal Access in the Information Society Springer Journals

Internet use and non-use: views of older users

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References (46)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 by Springer-Verlag
Subject
Computer Science; Business Information Systems; Computers and Society ; Information Systems Applications (incl.Internet) ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; Computer Communication Networks ; User Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction
ISSN
1615-5289
eISSN
1615-5297
DOI
10.1007/s10209-006-0057-5
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

This paper reports the results of two connected surveys of computer and Internet use among the older population in the UK. One hundred and twenty questionnaires and interviews were completed with participants aged over 55 in Derbyshire and 353 questionnaires and interviews with over 50s in Scotland. Rates of use, computer and Internet activities, and reasons for use and non-use were investigated. These were backed up by four semi-structured interviews with IT trainers, describing experiences and issues of training this age group. The results indicate a “grey” digital divide, with many older people missing out on the benefits that computers and the Internet can provide. They also indicate some of the reasons why older people do not use computers and the Internet more. These suggest some practical ways forward, highlighting the importance of changing older people’s misconceptions about computers, better informing them about what they are, what they can do and how they can be of real practical use.

Journal

Universal Access in the Information Society – Springer Journals

Published: Nov 18, 2006

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