Patterns of inquiry in computer literacy help sessions for the elderly

The worldwide demographic shift toward an aging population in developed countries highlights the need for more technology-based assistance for the elderly. The success of any assistive technology system depends on motivated, literate users; hence it is important to study how elder users learn and what their motivations for learning technology are. Our volunteer computer literacy sessions at the local library are a rich source of communication, providing insights into the learning process for elders. Using a small sample of these conversations, we apply a communication pattern language to qualitatively analyze the communication strategies and tactics that tutors and learners use. We are able to shed light on the patterns of learning technology use for elder users, to be able employ those principles in system design. © 2013 Authors