COMPUTER LITERACY FOR SENIORS: THE CASE OF SIMBIOZ@ PROJECT

Starejše generacije se soočajo s problemom računalniške pismenosti, saj v času njihovega izobraževanja in službovanja niso uporabljali računalnike in druge sodobne tehnologije. V Sloveniji je skoraj 90 odstotkov prebivalcev, starejših od 65 let, ki niso še nikoli uporabili računalnika oziroma interneta. To je bila spodbuda k organizaciji vseslovenskega prostovoljnega projekta Simbioz@. Simbioz@ je največji vseslovenski prostovoljni in medgeneracijski projekt, ki poteka pet dni v mesecu oktobru že od leta 2011. Letos bo projekt potekal že tretje leto zaporedoma in zaradi uspešnosti in zanimanja bo postal tudi trajnostni projekt. Mladi prostovoljci navdušujejo starejše k uporabi računalnika in interneta. Vsak dan, od ponedeljka do petka, poteka drugačen modul delavnice. Delavnice so brezplačne, saj mladi delamo to prostovoljno. Namen diplomskega seminarja je bilo analizirati seniorje, ki so bili udeleženi v projektu Simbioz@ 2.0 na Ekonomsko-poslovni fakulteti in ugotoviti njihovo stopnjo računalniške pismenosti glede na področjih osnove uporabe računalnika, brskanja po spletnem brskalniku, uporabe elektronske pošte in socialnega omrežja – Facebooka. Zadali smo si osem hipotez in na podlagi teh ugotovili, na katerih področjih imajo starejši težave. Pri projektu Simbioza bodo v prihodnje uvedli Simbioz@ mojstre, Simbioz@ šole ter medgeneracijski center v Ljubljani. Za dvig ravni računalniške pismenosti predlagamo uvedbo računalniških informativnih točk oziroma prostorov in klicne centre, ki bi omogočali seniorjem pomoč pri njihovi uporabi z računalnikom in drugih tehnologij. Za kakršenkoli nasvet in vprašanje se bi obrnili na prijazne svetovalce. Predlagamo, da se ustanovijo tudi društva, ki bi organizirala računalniške tečaje, člani bi bili tako starejši kot mlajši. Older generations are faced with a problem of computer literacy, because they did not use computers and other modern technology in course of their education. In Slovenia almost 90 percent of the population that are older than 65 years have never used a computer or internet. That has led us to organize an all Slovenian voluntary project Simbioz@. Simbioz@ is the largest all Slovenian voluntary and intergenerational project that takes place every year for five days in October, since 2011. This year the project will take place for the third year in a row and will become a sustainable project mainly because of the success and interes it has achieved. Young volunteers inspire older people to use the computer and the internet. Every day from Monday to Friday there is a different workshop module. Workshops are free as a voluntary youth work. The purpose of my thesis was to analyze the seniors, who have been involved in the project Simbioz@ 2.0 at the Faculty of economics and business and determine their level of computer literacy in the areas of computer basics, browsing the internet, the use of e-mail and social network – Facebook. We set eight hypotheses and based on these we were abe to indetify the areas which are problematic for seniors. The project Simbioza will in the future also be introduced as Simbioz@ master, Simbioz@ school and Intergenerational center in Ljubljana. To raise the level of computer literacy we suggest the introduction of computer information points or locations and call centers where seniors could get help with their computer use and other modern technologies. They could turn to friendly advisors for any advices and questions. We also suggest to establish a society that would organize computer courses.