A new (old) generation seeks computer skills

Tim Barker

Nov. 28, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- When instructor Patty Bossi looks out across her small class, she mostly sees the familiar faces of strangers.

She's here to teach them the basics of computers. And most of her dozen or so students are just what she expects them to be -- retirees and seniors eager to learn how to send e-mail and download photos of grandkids.

But there in the back of the St. Louis Community College classroom in South County sits Larry Jincks, 50.

At least one like him shows up in every class, one of many Americans -- those in their 50s and early 60s -- who grew up without computers and now find themselves paying for it. Jincks, like many in his generation, is simply trying to catch up.

In many ways, this is simply part of an ongoing transformation of our society into one that relies on technology for most of what it does. Jincks is a member of a fraternity that gets smaller with each passing year, as more Americans join the digital evolution. Soon, there may not even be enough of them to support Bossi's introductory course.

"These classes are getting smaller. PCs are getting more prevalent," Bossi said. "In the next five years, that class will probably go away."

That's little comfort, however, for Americans like Jincks, for whom the world of computers remains a puzzle waiting to be solved.

In some ways, that lack of computer skills fits into the modern definition of illiteracy, said Moez Limayem, chairman of the Department of Information Systems at the University of Arkansas.

In a society that grows more reliant on computers, people without tech skills are missing out on things others take for granted. Consider the simple act of watching TV, which routinely offers extras -- additional information, bonus scenes and interaction opportunities -- to anyone with access to the Internet.

"Imagine living in a country where you don't understand the language -- but everyone expects you to," Limayem said. "These people feel embarrassed. They feel ignorant. And they are starting to be left out."

Bossi sees it as her job to strip away the mystique surrounding computers. She breaks down the terminology and buzzwords and puts them into plain English, in hopes of removing one of the biggest roadblocks confronting new users. And she starts from the very beginning.

"If you've never used a PC before, you're in the right place," Bossi tells the class.

In truth, there's not a single hand in the room that hasn't touched a computer at some point. But there's a world of difference between using a computer and knowing how to use a computer.

And for the next four weeks, it will be Bossi's job to give Jincks and his classmates a basic working knowledge of the machines.

Theyll be taught to open and close programs. How to save files. How to use a mouse: "Learn to double click. It'll make life easier."

They'll be told about modems, sound cards, CD-ROMs and what it means to "burn a disk." They'll leave with basic Web-surfing skills.

In some cases, she'll be happy if they learn nothing more than how to play solitaire on the computer. But for students like Jincks, she wants more. She likes to think this is simply the first step in a longer journey.

So does Jincks, a lifelong south St. Louis County resident who operates a small coin-collecting business out of his home.

"Eventually I'd like to work my way up to being able to sell stuff on eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) ," Jincks tells his classmates during introductions.

That may not sound all that ambitious. But it's a daunting thought for someone who views computers with a mixture of fear, apprehension, puzzlement and wonder. He's certainly not alone.

AGE PLAYS A ROLE

Every year, the Pew Internet and American Life Project looks at trends in the adoption of broadband Internet access, which is considered a key measure in judging our society's relationship with technology. Simply put, people with high-speed access tend to be more tech savvy than those without it.

It's no surprise that younger Americans -- those who grew up with computers as part of their daily lives -- are far more likely to have broadband access in their homes. In this year's study, 70 percent of people in the 18-29 age group had it. Seniors are at the other end of the spectrum, at 19 percent.

Somewhere in between you'll find the 50-64 age group that Jincks belongs to. Half of them don't have broadband access. Still, they are doing much better than they were just three years ago, when only 27 percent of them had high-speed access.

To be sure, age is not the sole determining factor in who gets along with technology and who doesn't. Plenty of older people are very comfortable with computers; and some younger people aren't. But generally speaking, age does play a role.

Many older users like Jincks simply don't have the same level of comfort and familiarity with technology.

Until personal computers started to become common in the 1980s, most people grew up in homes where televisions and VCRs represented the height of technological advancement. The basic telephone was a constant for decades before cell phones hit the market.

"Kids have been wired to accept and embrace change. But when we were growing up, that wasn't fostered," said Monica Vila, 49, the founder of TheOnlineMom.com, a site that helps parents navigate the technology.

It's a more critical issue for those in their 50s and early 60s than it is for seniors, who generally seek out computers for entertainment or communication. For those still in the work force, the ability to use a computer can be the difference in getting a new job or promotion, she said.

Overcoming that fear is a challenge, said Sean Westcott, co-author of "Digitally Daunted: The Consumer's Guide to Taking Control of the Technology in Your Life."

"Some people are just terrified," Westcott said. "They're afraid they'll break it or do something wrong."

'JUST BE CURIOUS'

Jincks isn't exactly terrified of computers. And he does actually own one. But he's not very fond of it.

He uses it at least once a day to check prices on precious metals and coins. But the vast majority of his computer time is spent dealing with problems that make no sense to him.

"It's frustrating. You can't talk to a computer," he said. "You make one little error, forget a slash or a colon, then you're messed up."

When it's suggested that some people see computers as a source of entertainment and stress relief, Jincks chuckles and mentions his occasional urges to toss his against the basement wall. "There have been times," he said.

Still, Jincks is on the right path.

Experts generally agree the first step is figuring out what you want to do. Instead of trying to learn everything at once, pick a single task and focus on it.

"Just be curious about something," said Richard Shurtz, president of Stratford University in Falls Church, Va., and co-host of the school's Tech Talk Radio program. "It's really a matter of attitude, thinking you can learn it. And that it's worth learning."

For Jincks, it's all about the promise of eBay and what it could mean for his business. For example, it could bring an end to lugging hundreds of pounds of gear to coin shows.

Now with his first computer class over, Jincks is eyeing his next, this one focusing on the Windows Vista operating system. It's just one of many steps he knows that he needs to take to get where he wants to be.

"It's just something I've got to do in life," he said. "I've got to catch up and I've got a long way to go."

tbarker@post-dispatch.com -- 314-340-8350

Newstex ID: KRTB-0187-29966380