How Older Adults Learn to Use Mobile Devices

Abstract

Mobile computing devices, such as smart phones, offer benefits that may be especially valuable to older adults (age 65+). Yet, older adults have been shown to have difficulty learning to use these devices. In the research presented in this article, we sought to better understand how older adults learn to use mobile devices, their preferences and barriers, in order to find new ways to support them in their learning process. We conducted two complementary studies: a survey study with 131 respondents from three age groups (20--49, 50--64, 65+) and an in-depth field study with 6 older adults aged 50+. The results showed, among other things, that the preference for trial-and-error decreases with age, and while over half of older respondents and participants preferred using the instruction manual, many reported difficulties using it. We discuss implications for design and illustrate these implications with an example help system, Help Kiosk, designed to support older adults’ learning to use mobile devices.

Question-Answer Cards for an Inclusive Micro-tasking Framework for the Elderly

“…This also confirms previous findings regarding the preference for instructions and the passive usage of ICT [ 10]. Based on the results, we defined two technical requirements for an inclusive micro-tasking framework.…”

“…She also found that seniors are passive users of mobile phones, which means they mostly receive phone calls and text messages rather than originating them. Leung et al reported that the preference to use trial-anderror decreases with age and senior citizens prefer to have instructions [ 10]. Hiyama et al used question-answer interactions through phone calls and text messages as an alternative means for the elderly to participate in social media [ 7].…”

Characteristics of Elderly User Behavior on Mobile Multi-touch Devices

“…The study reports on various findings about elderly people's perceptions of and issues with mobile phones, such as their preference for features that aid their declining functional abilities. Leung and others [3] also conducted a large-scale online survey with 131 respondents across three age groups (20-49, 50-64, 65+) to identify unique tendencies among the older population, including their preference for traditional methods such as instruction manuals for learning new technologies over trial-and-error. Van Dyk, Renaund, and van Biljon [7] conducted an extensive interview with 147 mobile phone users between the ages of 60 and 89 to construct a prioritized checklist of features that should be considered in the design of mobile phones catered to the elderly users.…”

“…A study by Docampo Rama, Ridder, and Bouma [2] indicates that generational difference in exposure levels to various technology during one's formative years (before the age of 25) has a significant effect on the performance on and the level of understanding of new technologies. A survey with 131 respondents from three age groups , 50-64, 65+) conducted by Leung and others [3] suggests that significantly fewer older people choose trial-and-error as a method for learning new technology compared to younger people, opting for more traditional methods such as instruction manuals despite citing difficulties using them. It is clear that the needs and characteristics of the older population are quite different from those of the younger population in the context of mobile device usage.…”

“…On the one hand, there have been various interview and questionnaire studies [3][4][5][6][7] that have identified characteristics unique to the elderly user population. While these interview and questionnaire studies provide valuable insight into elderly user's attitudes towards and perceptions of mobile devices, they do not reveal much about the interaction tendencies of and challenges faced by elderly users throughout their actual use of such devices.…”