Teaching Older Adults to Search for Reliable Health

Information on theInternet

An Introduction to the National Institute on Aging’s Toolkit for

Trainers

Name Affiliation Any experience working with older

adults? Any experience providing computer

training?

Introduce yourself

Become familiar and comfortable with the Toolkit materials

Learn how to customize the training for different skill levels

Get tips on setting up a senior-friendly learning environment

Leave with specific ideas for starting the training with your patrons

Goals for today

www.nihseniorhealth.gov/toolkit

Watch Video: “Introducing the Toolkit”

(About 5 minutes)

What struck you most about the video?

A free set of 9 modules, including lesson plans, handouts, and training tools, which you can download to teach older adults how to access reliable health information on the Internet

What is the Toolkit for Trainers?

1. Introduce older adults to high quality health information on the Internet

2. Build older adults’ Internet skills at the same time.

3. Help older adults learn how to tell if health information is reliable or not

Three overall goals of the Toolkit:

NIHSeniorHealth www.nihseniorhealth.gov

MedlinePlus www.medlineplus.gov

National Institute on Aging www.nia.nih.gov

The training is centered around NIH websites and other federal health websites

34% of older adults are online, but 66% are not

There is a vast amount of health information online – some reliable, some not

As people live longer, they will see more health management functions occur online

Being web savyy about online health resources is becoming a must.

Why is this training important?

The toolkit materials were developed based on NIA’s cognitive aging and vision research

The toolkit materials were tested with older adults and trainers over a two year period.

How was the Toolkit developed?

To get the free, downloadable Toolkit materials, go to the Toolkit page on the NIHSeniorHealth website

www.nihseniorhealth.gov/toolkit

Introduction

Lesson Plan Set-up activities Core Activities Practice Activities Reinforcement Activities

Student Handouts (including a glossary)

Lesson Review Sheet

Let’s browse the materialsEach module contains:

Pages1 & 2 pertain to current lesson Rest of Introduction is the same for all

lessons.

Introduction

Type of Activity

Script Box

Steps

Icons

Trainer Tips

Lesson Plan

Clearly labeled

Large type

White space

Step by step activities

Student Handouts

Basic computer and Internet terms

Large type

Illustrations

(Also, there is a

stand –alone glossary with all terms)

Illustrated Glossaries

Lesson Review Handout Screen shots of web pages visited in class

to help students with at home review of the lesson:

A separate, stand-alone , illustrated glossary with 37 basic terms…

Illustrated Glossary Terms

A flyer to recruit students…

A flyer to interest prospsective trainers…

Quick Tips for a Senior-friendly Computer Classroom

Questions for “students” to ponder:1. What did you learn?2. What did you like about the lesson?3. How do you think your students would respond

to this lesson?

Teach Participants a Sample Lesson – 10-15 minutes

Module 2 pp. 15 – 16*

1. Pair participants up2. Select Person A and Person B3. Go to Lesson 2, page 194. Person A teaches Person B pages 19 and

21 (Skip page 20)5. Then, Person B teaches Person A pages

22 and 236. Discuss using same questions as before

Participants teach a sample lesson 15 minutes

Create an environment for learning -- Ask about using first names -- Make it easy to ask for help -- Remind them of mastering ATMs, microwaves, message machines, cell

phones, remote controls, CD players

How to create a senior-friendly computer classroom(Refer participants to online “Quick Tips” document on Toolkit page)

Present information clearly -- Pause after delivering a short segment of information to make sure students are following you

-- Use priming, a preview of upcoming activities, learning points, etc. to prepare students for what they will

learn

-- Use active rather than passive voice

How to create a senior-friendly computer classroom

Help students stay focused -- Provide one way to perform a task, not a multitude of ways

-- Keep discussions on track. Distinguish “need to know” from “nice to know”

info

-- Make clear verbal transitions between parts of the lesson

How to create a senior-friendly computer classroom

Help students retain information -- Be willing and ready to repeat info

-- Summarize frequently

-- Use visual and written information to reinforce what is taught

-- Provide immediate hands-on practice

of skills taught

How to create a senior-friendly computer classroom

Accommodate physical changes -- Vision -- Hearing -- Motor Skills -- Other changes

How to create a senior-friendly computer classroom

• Start small – Try one lesson, or part of one lesson

• Have Help – An classroom assistant, or another (older) person who knows the Internet

How to approach the training

For beginners, START here: Module 1 Internet Basics Module 2 Introduction to NIHSeniorHealth

For Intermediate Students: START here Module 6 Introduction to MedlinePlus Module 9 Evaluating Health Websites

For advanced beginners and intermediate students, you can use

Module 5 Exercise on NIHSeniorHealth Module 9 Evaluating Health Websites

Customizing the training

Print out this flyer from www.nihseniorhealth.gov/toolkit

Fill in the pertinent information

Make copies and distribute

How to form a class

1) Locate a classroom with computers and a computer projector.

2) Identify a trainer.

3) Set aside a time for the training.

4) Identify a classroom aide to provide one-on-one assistance .

5) Recruit students. You can download and distribute the recruitment flyer from www.nihseniorhealth.gov/toolkit

6) Go to www.nihseniorhealth.gov/toolkit

7) Select a module based on students’ skill levels.

8) Read the Introduction and Lesson Plan.

9) Print out the Lesson Plan and place it in a 3-ring binder.

10) Print out and make copies of the handouts for students.

11) Decide how much of the lesson to cover in the first class session.

12) Re-read the Lesson Plan. Use highlighting if you need it.

13) Hold the first class session.

14) Confer with your classroom aide afterwards to assess how it went.

15) Make adjustments for the next class.

Training Checklist

1. Fill out the sheet individually (see next slide) and then and pair participants up.

2. Each person in the pair should mention one easy task and one hard task.

3. Each pair jointly discusses how to deal with the hard tasks.

4. Each pair reports out.

What Looks Easy/Hard to Do?

1. Finding a computer classroom with the right equipment?

2. Finding a trainer?3. Finding an assistant?4. Finding the time to teach?5. Getting the authorization to do the training?6. Recruiting students?7. Printing out materials ( lesson plan, handouts)?8. Making copies of handouts? 9. Finding time to prepare the lesson?10. Using the lesson plan to teach?11. Giving students one-on-one attention?

What Looks Easy/Hard to Do?1 = Very Hard 5 = Very Easy

What is the first step you will take toward using the Toolkit for Trainers?

Next steps…

www.nihseniorhealth.gov/toolkit

Find the Toolkit for Trainers at