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A “digital divide” exists between older and younger people in terms of computer use and older people’s uptake of computer training programmes in the UK remains low. The purpose of this paper is to identify the motivations and outcomes of computer classes for some older people and the contributory factors.

One-to-one qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants at a computer class in a London community centre. Using a topic guide, interview transcripts underwent thematic analysis. The theoretical perspective of “ageing in place” (the ability to stay in one’s own home in later life) was used when interpreting the findings.

Participants had been motivated to attend the class initially to gain computer skills. Initial motivation was influenced by the death of a spouse and the desire to remain mentally active. The main outcome by the class was acquisition of computer skills. Psychological and social benefits were also reported, the latter constituting motivation for continued attendance. Computer ownership and gender differences in preferred teaching style influenced class outcomes.

Although this was a small sample comprising older people solely from one community, participant backgrounds varied and the findings suggest that further research with a larger, more culturally heterogeneous sample would be valuable.

Computer classes benefit older people wishing to learn computer skills which may facilitate “ageing in place”. There has been little research in this area.

Shows how both instructors and students can benefit from business writing classes taught in computer classrooms. Instructors will see improvement in the quality of student work, and students will gain real knowledge of how business documents are created. To incorporate computers in the classroom, instructors first need to overcome the common objections to moving a class into a laboratory setting, including inadequate computer knowledge, and to learn what changes in classroom dynamics occur when a class is taught in a computer laboratory. Once they do this, they can enjoy a reduction in class preparation time, more freedom to conduct individual conferences with students, and increased student co‐operation.

This study seeks to explore technology use in a higher education classroom with the focus on tablet computers.

Study participants consisted of 36 undergraduate students from Rutgers University's Information Technology and Informatics major. Data were collected using an online survey, a classroom observation, and a group interview.

The study findings demonstrate unexpected technology uses that can be explained by the characteristics of the student group, the Net generation, namely, their impatient multi‐tasking and opportunistic behaviour. Students used tablet computers to take notes, conduct group activities and interact with the instructor. Students’ preference for typing was found to be a barrier in their adoption of tablet computers.

The findings can help technology developers and educators better understand and optimize their use of computing technology in higher education. Limitations of this study include only one class was studied, and classroom observation probed student behaviors only at selected points in time.

The unique value of the study included: the study was not limited to tablet technology and investigated students’ use of multiple technologies; the study captured student behaviors in an actual learning environment, and the study provides empirical evidence for students’ multi‐tasking in a classroom and for their use of tablet computers for hand writing.

Published research indicates that teachers have not integrated information technology into their classroom practice and that computer use tends to be peripheral to other curriculum activities. However almost all of this research is based on survey methods involving self‐assessment and self‐reporting by teachers. Very little observational research has taken place and there is a need to corroborate survey research with classroom observations. Observations took place of 11 teachers and 253 pupils in different classes held in three London primary schools. Results generally agree with previous research in that computers are only used for a small percentage of time. Significant differences in use were observed between those classrooms where children were free to choose their own activities and those where activities where teacher directed. These differences may show that computer technology is being used only when it does not require a change of teaching style or classroom organisation. Differences were found between the youngest boys and girls in how much time they spent using computers.

Senior CHAT (Consumer Health Awareness Training) improved health information literacy and promoted better health outcomes through basic computer instruction among senior citizens in a healthcare impoverished Louisiana parish. Librarians at a state university in southeast Louisiana partnered with senior citizen centers to promote National Library of Medicine databases in a project funded by National Network/Libraries of Medicine/South Central Region. This paper seeks to describe and discuss this initiative.

Librarians responded to a community assessment demonstrating the need for basic computer instruction and increased health information literacy among the 1,800 clients served by the Tangipahoa Voluntary Council on Aging (TVCOA). Senior CHAT included two series of hands‐on classes with 25 students. Seniors were instructed in the use of MedlinePlus and NIHSeniorHealth databases. TVCOA staff were trained to continue to assist seniors after the project's completion. A Senior Citizen Consumer Health LibGuide was created and is a project legacy. Participants also created updatable portable personal health profiles.

Pre‐ and post‐instruction surveys suggest seniors increased usage of the databases post‐instruction. Over 70 percent of senior participants were able to create a personal health profile.

The elderly are at risk of poor health literacy. As the USA moves to a consumer‐centric health care system, these individuals need technology skills to take an active role in health care‐related decisions.

The project promoted lifelong learning in the region and forged new community partnerships. Its value lies in its reproducibility in a variety of community settings and its alignment with US Healthy People 2020 initiatives.

In the fall of 1997 and again in the fall of 1998, the Iowa State University Library administered a computer‐based final exam to a special section of the library’s mandatory library skills class. To this end an effective Windows‐based test was created in‐house using Authorware. That the project was a success says much about the current state of computers and authoring systems: what once had been the purview of computer programmers has become increasingly accessible to computer‐literate librarians with some programming skills. The exam involved work at many levels: test appearance, keeping track of test answers, creating special features, recording scores in files, and network security. The exam was one more important step in making the class almost entirely computer‐based. It set a milestone for the library that was at once as significant as it was achievable.

This chapter reports research conducted in Melbourne, Australia that is focused on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in schools and families. The emphasis is on the relationship between technology, learning, culture and (dis)advantage. It is generally agreed that ICTs are associated with major social, cultural, pedagogical and lifestyle changes, although the nature of those changes is subject to conflicting norms and interpretations. In this chapter we adopt a critical, multi-disciplined, relational perspective in order to examine the influence of ICTs, in schools and homes, on a sample of students and their families.

Personal computers continue to grow in power and come down in price, but the field has become much more confusing since April 1987. The author considers events of the last year, compares prices and power in January 1988 with previous views of the marketplace, and discusses the shattered state of “industry standards” in personal computing.

This paper aims to present recently published resources on information literacy and library instruction through an extensive annotated bibliography of publications covering all library types.

This paper annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2017 in over 200 journals, magazines, books and other sources.

The paper provides a brief description for all 590 sources.

The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.

This chapter is a narrative account of a Ford Foundation sponsored project from mid-2005 through 2008 for investigating into the causes and engineering a solution to the migrant workers education access problems in manufacturing areas in Shanghai, China. The project team was comprised of faculty members and students from East China Normal University, consulted by two professors from Columbia University. This chapter describes how the team arrived at a solution to the problem by investigating the problems, socializing with the migrant workers, and doing experiments that helped us to make adjustments on the proposed solution from time to time. Unlike the popular understanding of the educational needs of the migrant workers that the workers just need some short-term training for a job, our finding is that the workers need degree and certificate programs too. They need further education for personal and career development, not just a job that can feed them. The workers are Internet fans too, most of those who want further education would prefer a blended learning. We ran quite a few courses and a learning center to observe the learning behavior of the workers, which allowed us to actually interact with the workers and see how they respond to our experimental stimuli. While most of the migrant workers show an interest in learning, we did not observe much active learning involvement of the migrant workers. We identified seven factors that limit access to learning engagement: (1) inadequate transportation means; (2) very long work days and weeks and irregular shifts; (3) difficult living conditions; (4) restricted computer and Internet access; (5) inaccessibility of information; (6) unsupportive social environment; (7) lack of educational infrastructure. As a solution to the identified problem, we propose a learning center based community college network in all the manufacturing areas. A learning center serves as a social learning incubator to nurture the learning practices of the academically less prepared learner, the migrant workers.