Encouraging Social Inclusion for Older Adults Through “Interest”-Led Technology Use

Abstract

There are many misconceptions about older adults' capabilities and aspirations, and especially their attitudes and approach towards technology. They are often misunderstood and seen as uninterested and unmotivated to engage with use of technology. Due to an absence of an “interest” framework for older adults to learn mobile touch screen technologies, this chapter investigates the role that pre-existing interests play in older adults' adoption of technology. Can a curriculum guided only by pre-existing interests of older adults, rather than a structured curriculum have a positive influence on its adoption for mobile touch screen technologies? The results show that when older adults are taught according to requests based on their pre-existing interests, it encouraged long-term adoption of technology including building up their confidence in usage of mobile touch screen technologies.