Categorizing older adults' information technology-based learning programs using correspondence analysis
Asian Education and Development Studies
ISSN: 2046-3162
Article publication date: 17 October 2022
Issue publication date: 2 January 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid proliferation of digital devices, population aging, and acceleration of digital technology adoption due to the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the need for information education for older adults to prevent inter-generational conflicts and digital alienation. This study aims to analyze the information technology (IT) education programs provided to older adults by age group, considering their heterogeneity.
Design/methodology/approach
This study identifies IT education programs provided by public institutions in Seoul and target age groups (50 and above) through a survey using triangulation, which were then sorted and summarized into 27 keywords. Correspondence analysis was conducted using the keywords derived for the programs and age groups.
Findings
IT education programs in the age group 60 and above accounted for 75.2% of the programs offered, which increased to 90% when including those aged 55 and above. Particularly, the perceptual map created based on relationship correlations indicates which IT education program keywords matched each age group. The Seoul Metropolitan Government primarily offered these programs for older adults aged 60 and above, with 5–7.5 times more education programs for those aged 60 and above than for those aged 50 and above or 55 and above. Therefore, IT education must be more evenly provided to more diverse age groups among older adults to reflect the current situation.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by proposing a future direction for IT education of older adults. Moreover, it has implications for the direction of IT education to target various age groups in IT education programs, thus enabling older adults to effectively enhance their digital literacy skills during the rapid digitalization caused by COVID-19.
Keywords
Citation
Jang, H.-Y. and Lee, Y.-M. (2023), "Categorizing older adults' information technology-based learning programs using correspondence analysis", Asian Education and Development Studies, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 15-27. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-12-2021-0251
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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