For the current generation, technology is something they’ve been exposed to their entire lives. Almost since the day they were born, they’ve interacted with technology in some fashion.

For older generations, however, learning new technology, advances of which move at almost lightning speed, can be a daunting task. For individuals who may have had little to no experience with the latest technology, even sending and receiving an email or unlocking the intricacies of a new cell phone might seem next to impossible.

Through its many programs for older adults, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Temple is seeking to demystify technology, plugging individuals into everything from basic digital skills to the latest information on artificial intelligence.

“While we provide education on many subjects, one of our primary goals is to help people build their skills with technology because it’s very difficult to survive and succeed in today’s world without it. It’s primarily about building technology skills, but it’s also about building community and maintaining their health — helping someone stay in touch with their children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren, for example, or navigating a health portal to get test results,” said Adam Brunner, Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. “One of the overarching focuses of our programs is maintaining cognitive health as we age. They say the two best ways to do it are to learn a new language or an instrument — for many people, learning technology is like learning a new language.”

To fully engage in the world today, “you need digital skills, computer skills, smartphone skills — the whole range of technology that has become a ubiquitous part of every aspect of our lives,” Brunner said.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Temple offers a wide variety of technology courses such as Introduction to iPhones; Getting More Out of Your iPhone and iPad; Understanding the World of Hardware and Software; The Secret World War II Projects that Sparked the Computer Revolution; Hot Issues in Computing; AI and ChatGPT: Investigating Creativity; AI and ChatGPT: Problem Solving & Reasoning; among others. OLLI also has its own dedicated computer lab with 32 desktops at Temple University Center City.

Technology in Transition

According to Brunner, the way OLLI provides its courses has evolved right along with an evolving digital landscape. That became particularly essential during the height of COVID, he said, when the programs moved entirely online.

“We, of course, have been offering technology courses for years but only in-person. With the pandemic, we moved to an entirely online format almost overnight” he said. “That was a learning curve for almost everyone involved. We needed to teach our members how to make use of and navigate Zoom.”

OLLI continuing to provide program offerings throughout the pandemic “saved so many of us from going crazy or getting lonely,” said OLLI member Paula Ninerell.

At 97-years-young, fellow OLLI member Laura Nebel also wasn’t about to let changes in technology get the better of her.

“I was also determined not to be left behind and to keep abreast with technology,” she said. “I took a class on how to use Zoom!”

Today, OLLI courses are offered both in person at Temple’s Center City and Ambler campuses, online and, in some cases, in a hybrid format.

“We’re currently experimenting with a course format called HyFlex where the instructor is able to teach online while the students can either attend class online or in person at Temple Center City or Temple University Ambler, or one week go in-person, the other online,” he said. “It’s a way to meet people where they are, even if they can’t all meet in the same location.”

Gary Rose, an OLLI member who made the jump to instructor, provides a deep dive into all things iPhone each semester, helping members take full advantage of the vast resources and connectivity available in their devices.

“I never really considered myself an expert, but I spent 25 years commuting from the Philadelphia area to New York and kept myself on top of a lot of the technology trends with my time on the train. I initially agreed to help with a one session program, which turned into three sessions, which eventually turned into a full semester,” he said. “There are so many people, generationally, that have devices but that don’t really use them to a level that would truly benefit them. They can make calls, sometimes FaceTime, email and texts, but there is so much more to what these phones can do today.”

Rose said the most difficult moment for anyone trying to learn technology is going to be the first time they apply what they’ve learned.

“For some older adults, there’s an intimidation factor there — they worry a cashier is going to think ‘here’s another older person trying to use technology’ — but I try to practically show them how easy it can be and how, most often, people they will interact with are helpful and supportive,” he said. “We do something as simple as a field trip to the vending machine to see how easy it is to use Apple Pay. I teach them about health apps and medical IDs, extremely helpful technology that is tailored to this demographic.”

In a bit of full-circle digital communication, Rose said when it came time to start talking about AI “I turned to ChatGPT to ask it how to teach seniors about AI.”

“It was interesting because the answer was to keep it simple at the beginning. I explain to them that they’re already using AI because it’s built right into their phones, it’s built right into search engines and so many things today,” he said. “The goal is to make participants feel comfortable enough with the technology they have at hand that they are willing to explore on their own. The computer I used to commute with weighed 12 and a half pounds and had 25 megabytes of memory — the phone they are carrying around in their pockets is 1,000 times more powerful than that computer was — it has the potential to connect you to everything.”

Digital Education; Intergenerational Experiences

To meet what is now an essential need to provide the community digital skills opportunities, OLLI has begun a free program at Temple Main Campus that offers digital training skills to underserved populations “to help them navigate in a world that is more and more technology-focused,” Brunner said.

According to Brunner, OLLI received a grant to train low-income older adults in the North Philadelphia area. Through the Digital Skills Ready@50+ program classes are offered once a week, at Ritter Annex, covering topics such as computer essentials; staying safe online; everything you need to know about email; smartphones; Zoom; and more.

“One of the things I love about this program is that it is providing support and services to people who live in the immediate vicinity of the University. It’s about Temple treating its fellow community members like colleagues and partners,” he said. “We offer free five-week training programs on various topics; it could be iPhone and Android essentials or how to stay safe online — how to identify and avoid phishing and other types of scams. An important aspect of our DSR (Digital Skills Ready) program is that were are partnering with other Temple programs such as the Digital Equity Center and the recently developed Digital Passport program that also have, as part of their missions, a goal of providing digital access and education to community residents.”

Nia Peterson, a graduate student in Temple’s Speech Therapy Program, has been overseeing Digital Skills Ready@50+ for OLLI at Main Campus for the past year. In her case, becoming part of the technology training team was a bit of welcome serendipity.

“I applied for another position with Osher but (Brunner) told me that this position was available and he thought it would be something I’d be interested in — he definitely was right. Before overseeing this program, I didn’t have any experience working with older adults — I was more involved in mentoring younger kids and high school students — but I always knew that I liked teaching, which is why I said yes,” she said. “Initially it was surprising just how much this job is pairing up with my schoolwork. Studying speech therapy, my original focus was mostly children, but now I’m with the older adults as well — it feels like I’m gaining a lot of skills that are applicable to so many other things beyond talking about computers and technology.”

According to Peterson, beginner and advanced classes are offered through Digital Skills Ready@50+.

“The beginner class is pretty comprehensive while the advanced class is more flexible — I usually ask the participants what topics they are interested in learning and that’s what we focus on. I think it's really important to make them feel like they're not falling behind,” she said. “As technology continues to develop, they're going to continue to have questions. I think they really appreciate having a space that's dedicated to the questions that they have and gives them hands-on opportunities to apply what they are learning.”

In addition to the Digital Skills Ready@50+, OLLI is “continuing to grow our tech tutoring program, which is financially supported by our OLLI members,” said Brunner.

“Our tech tutors are Temple undergraduate and graduate students who are offering one-hour, one-on-one sessions with OLLI members. The Temple students are there to answer whatever questions they might have about their computers, smartphones or the Internet,” he said. “Our tutors spend an hour working hands-on with them on the topic of their choice and then walk out with a new skill.”

Alexis Graham, a senior in Computer Science, became an OLLI tech tutor “because I enjoy helping others and I wanted to gain some additional expertise in my field while doing that — it was a great opportunity for me.”

“When it comes to computer literacy, technology advances and modern technology continues to get more complicated, especially for people not used to working with it, and that’s only going to continue to compound moving into the future. I like being able to help older adults navigate the modern world,” she said. “I’m working with them on navigating their cell phones, their computers, figuring out the difference between Apple products and Windows products, how to find apps and how to use them in their everyday lives — sometimes it’s just simple shortcuts to make daily routines a little easier. I think these programs have opened a lot of our members up to embracing technology, there are a lot of ‘A ha!’ moments — I love hearing about how they’ve taken what they’ve learned and are using it outside the classroom.”

Brunner said the interactions between Temple students and OLLI members are a benefit in themselves.

“Beyond skill building, it is building intergenerational relationships, it’s building community. For our members, they are learning that our students are patient, caring and have something to teach them,” he said. “For our students, they are interacting with an older adult population who has a lot to share. I think a wonderful outcome is that our students are embracing that opportunity.”

Ultimately, Brunner said, OLLI would like to continue to expand its technology offerings and tutoring capabilities.

“Our vision for the future is to provide tutoring access across the City of Philadelphia so that the University is seen as a resource not necessarily to just older adults but potentially to a broader population, individuals who are seeking work or to advance in their jobs; people trying to build their digital skills to so they are more marketable,” he said. “One of the great things about programs like these is that they not only teach people, they create human connections and opportunities to learn from each other.”