A Modern Computer Literacy Course from the Point of View of the New Third Age Generation

The purpose of the study is to identify the needs, attitude and experience of third-age people in the field of using information and communication technologies in the modern stage of informatization. The modern system of additional education for older people in the field of computer literacy is now very outdated and in need of modernization. The transformation of the needs of this category of people for new knowledge and skills is caused by the rapid pace of development of digitalization, the growth of the range of electronic services and the expansion of opportunities associated with the use of information and communication technologies. The involvement of older people in these processes and the need to adapt to a new way of life actualizes the need to study what a modern digital literacy course should be from the point of view of people of the third age, namely, it is necessary to determine their needs for computer training, the experience and resources that they have.Materials and methods. The study was conducted from 2016 to 2019 on the basis of the Municipal government institution of the city of Novosibirsk “Coordination Center “Active City” among 214 people, studying under the program “Academy of Computer Literacy”, dedicated to the basics of working with computers and the Internet, organized with the support of the social programs’ development fund named after L.I. Sidorenko.The research carried out a theoretical analysis of psychological, pedagogical and scientific literature on the research topic, questioning and polling of respondents, analysis and generalization of the data obtained. The main objectives were: a) to reveal the information and communication technology resources available to respondents at home; b) to discover the motivating factors that determine the need for training in the field of computer literacy; c) to identify the requirement for the content of the computer literacy course in modern conditions in accordance with the requirements of the respondents; d) to analyze how these requirements are manifested in different age groups: 55-60 years old, 61-70 years old, 71-80 years old and over 80 years old.Results. The results of the study show the need to develop a course, not computer, but digital literacy of a new format, with the nature of flexibility, contributing to the satisfaction of any need to eliminate the problems of information activity at any level: low, intermediate or advanced. In addition, the rapidly changing information technology necessitates the provision of training that will enable the elderly person in the future to deal with any new and unknown technology. It is very important to adapt modern retirees to the new digital reality, teach them to interact with it and understand the principles of the device.Conclusion. These studies are the basis and prove the need to revise existing computer literacy courses and develop new content and teaching methods that take into account the modern needs of third age people.

A New Paradigm for Qualitative Research in the United States: The Era of the Third Age

This paper reviews qualitative research in the United States, highlighting the ways research has changed in the era of the third age. With growing attention to positive and uplifting aspects of aging, qualitative research has played a critical role in the exploration of the ways in which older adults are engaging in meaningful ways with others. We describe two key methodological approaches that have been important to examining positive aspects of aging and exploring the extent to which a growing number of years of healthy retirement are redefining the aging experience: ethnographic research and grounded theory research. We also review key topics associated with qualitative research in the era of the third age. These topics fit within two dominant frameworks – research exploring meaningmaking in later life and research exploring meaningful engagement in later life. These frameworks were critically important to raising attention to meaningful experiences and interactions with others, and we propose that the agenda for future qualitative research in the United States should continue contributing to these frameworks. However, we note that a third framework should also be developed which examines what it means to be a third ager through use of a phenomenological approach, which will assist in the important task of theory building about the third age.

The Life Course Metaphor: Implications for Biography and Interpretive Research

This paper reviews qualitative research in the United States, highlighting the ways research has changed in the era of the third age. With growing attention to positive and uplifting aspects of aging, qualitative research has played a critical role in the exploration of the ways in which older adults are engaging in meaningful ways with others. We describe two key methodological approaches that have been important to examining positive aspects of aging and exploring the extent to which a growing number of years of healthy retirement are redefining the aging experience: ethnographic research and grounded theory research. We also review key topics associated with qualitative research in the era of the third age. These topics fit within two dominant frameworks – research exploring meaningmaking in later life and research exploring meaningful engagement in later life. These frameworks were critically important to raising attention to meaningful experiences and interactions with others, and we propose that the agenda for future qualitative research in the United States should continue contributing to these frameworks. However, we note that a third framework should also be developed which examines what it means to be a third age through use of a phenomenological approach, which will assist in the important task of theory building about the third age.

Translation, Cultural Adaptation, and Psychometric Properties of the Life Satisfaction Index for the Third Age—Short Form (LSITA-SF12) for Use among Ethiopian Elders

(1) Background: Self-reported measures play a crucial role in research, clinical practice, and health assessment. Instruments used to assess life satisfaction need validation to ensure that they measure what they are intended to detect true variations over time. An adapted instrument measuring life satisfaction for use among Ethiopian elders was lacking; therefore, this study aimed to culturally adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Life Satisfaction Index for the Third Age—Short Form (LSITA-SF12) in Ethiopia. (2) Methods: Elderly people (n = 130) in Metropolitan cities of northwestern Ethiopia answered the LSITA-SF12 in the Amharic language. Selected reliability and validity tests were examined. (3) Result: The scale had an acceptable limit of content validity index, internal consistency, test-retest, inter-rater reliabilities, and concurrent and discriminant validities. (4) Conclusion: The Amharic language version of LSITA-SF12 appeared to be valid and reliable measures and can be recommended for use in research and clinical purposes among Amharic-speaking Ethiopian elders.

Why Do People Divorce Late in Life? Swedish Gray Divorce Narratives

Divorce rates for people 60+ has increased in many parts of the Western world in what has been described as a “grey divorce revolution”. In Sweden these divorce rates have more than doubled since the millennium. But why do people choose to divorce late in life and what is the impact of life phase typical transitions? Qualitative interviews with 37 Swedish men and women (aged 62-81) divorced after the age of 60 were collected, covering themes regarding the divorce process: motives for and experiences of divorce, and life as grey divorcee. The results by thematic analysis show that motives for divorcing earlier in the life-course, such as abuse, unfaithfulness and addiction are prevalent also among older people. However, they tend to be framed differently in later life and be integrated into divorce narratives informed by age. We identified four life phase typical narratives for divorce: 1) Lack of a common project for the third age. 2) Partners personality change due to age related disease. 3) Increased freedom after empty-nest allowing emancipation from a dominant partner. 4) A final romantic adventure as a form of rejuvenation. All these life-phase typical narratives are related to the third age as a time of self-fulfillment, where the partner can either be part of or an obstacle to that project. The results will be used to discuss current older cohorts’ views of family norms and later life from the perspective that current older cohorts participated in the divorce revolution in the 1970s as young adults.

Determinants Affecting the Use of the Internet by Older People

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to detect and analyze some factors which hinder or contribute to the positive use of the Internet by older people living in Central Europe, specifically in one region of the Czech Republic. Methods: The key method is a questionnaire whose results were processed by using a model of logistic regression. The research sample includes 432 seniors from senior houses, municipal ICT courses and the University of the Third Age, all coming from the region of Hradec Kralove in the Czech Republic. Findings: The findings of the proposed model confirmed that the key determinants in the Internet use by older people were age, previous experience with IT in their past occupation and active use of IT enhanced by some kind of training, in this case attending IT courses of the University of the Third Age. Education and gender have not proved to be significant determinants in this study. Novelty/ improvement: The introduced model of logistic regression enriches current literature on the subject by emphasizing the possible factors that influence the use of the Internet by seniors in the region. The survey also investigates which factors in comparison with each other act more and which less, and which factors are significant within the model and which are not. Doi: 10.28991/esj-2021-01317 Full Text: PDF

Exploring the Ecology of Third Age Informal Language Learner Groups

This research explores the factors involved in the emergence of an independently organized Third Age informal language learner group in a community centre in Japan. The methodology applies PPCT (Process-Person-Context-Time) from Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological approach to provide a detailed perspective of the people, the environment and settings over time to show how these factors interact to construct an emergent learner group. The analysis looks at how and why this specific learner ecology emerges and ultimately, how it can benefit the Third Age and inform healthy ageing policy. The findings show that by engaging in second language learning, the participants find meaningful and active involvement in the group by creating a setting that welcomes self-expression, while balancing limiting and facilitating factors of resilience and reciprocal support, self-management, sage-ing, interest, agency, and responsibility. The result is the creation of a multilingual, multicultural, and multigenerational place of inclusion within the community. The study highlights the heterogeneity of the 3rd Age and illustrates the interplay of contexts outside of the learner group from micro to macro, individual and group resources, and the influence of the specific social time period. It also shows the social importance of creating opportunities for autonomous informal language learning settings in the community while highlighting the impact of Third Age agency.