Rethinking Wearable Activity Trackers as Assistive Technologies: A Qualitative Study on Long-Term Use

This study proposes that wearable activity trackers (WATs), such as Fitbit, Apple Watch, can be viewed as assistive technologies to promote older adults’ health and independent living. Qualitative interview data with 20 older adults (65 and older) who had used WATs for six months or longer were analyzed within the framework of the Match Person and Technology (MPT) model. We found that personal and psychosocial factors, environmental factors, and technology-related factors contributed to the participants’ long-term engagement with WATs. Determination and self-discipline, support from one’s family members and friends, and goal setting and feedback of goal accomplishment were among the most mentioned facilitators of using WATs for more than six months. We discussed the design implications of these findings

Examining Aspects of Digital Inclusion Among National Samples of US Older Adults

We live in a world where we are constantly connected to devices (e.g., smartphones, computers, tablets) and are encouraged to go online to find information about most things in society. This constant digital connection provides the means whereby many individuals communicate and exchange social support. For most demographic groups, this results in being online and connected to devices multiple times each day. Older adults have been slower to adopt and use emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs). Their digital divide in comparison to other age groups may not be an accurate representation of their technology use and the reasons for this use. This descriptive study examines this view of digital inclusion by focusing on older adults and their uses of technology. We provide an overview of technology usage by different older adult age groups in the United States using existing national‐level data. We utilize life course and aging theoretical perspectives to help articulate how older adults use a wide variety of ICTs and whether they are constantly connected, and we note that while a constant connection to devices may be normative for younger age groups, this may not, and perhaps should not, be the case for older adults. The article concludes with a discussion of the social construction of digital inclusion and emphasizes the significant variation that exists in this construct, measurement of technology use in large‐scale datasets, and variation in technology use across older adult life course groups

Effective Experiences: A Social Cognitive Analysis of Young Students’ Technology Self-Efficacy and STEM Attitudes

The development of computer skills, as well as computer self-efficacy, has increased in importance along with the role of technology in everyday life. Childhood is a critical time for the development of these skills since early inequalities may substantially impact future life outcomes. In a context of a computing intervention designed to improve digital inclusion, we hypothesize that students’ enactive learning experience (conceptualized as their computer usage) and their vicarious learning experience (conceptualized as their perception of their teacher’s computer usage) are associated with the development of perceived technology efficacy and STEM (Science, Technology, Education, and Math) attitudes. Data are from a sample of elementary school students from an urban school district in the Southeastern United States. The results show that both their direct experiences and their perception of their teacher’s computer usage have strong impacts on students’ technology efficacy and STEM attitudes, and the former is the stronger predictor of the outcomes examined. The findings suggest that programs aiming to improve digital inclusion should emphasize students’ direct learning experience, which would later improve their attitude toward STEM fields

Threaten by Stereotype: An investigation of the effect of stereotype threat on female and minority students' STEM learning in the context of a computer intervention

To contribute to the growing field of STEM education, we examined the influence of stereotype threat on female and African American students in a large-scale computer intervention. Namely, this paper examines the relationship between gender and race and their effects on self-perceived technology efficacy, anxiety, STEM attitudes, and expectation of going to college. In total, 1,085 student survey responses were analyzed to understand the effects of stereotype threat on gender and race. The results suggest that gender was a consistent determinant of STEM attitudes and technology efficacy and race is a predictor of technological anxiety. For self-expectation of future education, gender and race were not predictors of the outcome variable. Instead, STEM attitudes and self-efficacy were positively associated with student’s self-expectation of going to college.ye

Getting Grandma Online: Are Tablets the Answer for Increasing Digital Inclusion for Older Adults in the US?

Using information and communication technologies (ICTs) can improve older adults\u27 quality of life. ICT use is associated with decreased feelings of loneliness and depression, along with increased feelings of independence and personal growth. However, limited access and low technological self-efficacy are key reasons why some groups, especially older adults, are excluded from being fully engaged in the digital world. In this study, we focus on older adults\u27 technological self-efficacy, which is related to their actual use of technology and the second level digital divide. Specifically, we examine: (a) how older adults decide to use a new technology, tablet computers; (b) how they conquer the barrier of technological self-efficacy through using tablets; and (c) the impacts of using this new technology in their lives. Twenty-one in-depth interviews were conducted with older adults residing in independent living communities in a medium-sized city in the Deep South region of the United States. Observational and enactive learning played important roles for older adults in using tablets. Seeing others use tablets, getting recommendations from family members, or having tablets given to them were the primary reasons they started to use tablet computers. The ease of use feature of tablets helped solve the problem of lacking technological self-efficacy. Using tablets helped increase a sense of connectedness. Tablet computers may be one way to increase digital inclusion among older adults

Is it Institutional or System Trust: Mediating the Effect of Generational Cohort Membership on Online Banking Intentions

A cross sectional survey of Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) users (N = 559) was conducted to investigate the mediation effect of institutional and system trust on generational differences in online banking intentions. Results of serial mediation models showed that the effect of age on online banking intentions was best mediated through the serial combination of institutional and system trust, respectively. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.ye

Connection discrepancies: Unmasking further layers of the digital divide

In assessing the integration of the Internet into society, scholars have documented that certain sectors of the population are disadvantaged by their lack of access to computer resources. The disadvantaged have traditionally included the less educated, non-whites, females, the elderly and lower income people. Scholars are now beginning to address differences in Internet experiences among Internet users, but most studies fail to account for the type of connection people use to access the Internet. The purpose of this study is to expand the level of information surrounding Internet connections. This study finds that (1) most Internet data sources fail to ask questions about types of Internet connections; (2) broadband users experience the Internet differently; and, (3) in determining who is likely to spend more time online, the type of connection is more important than other digital divide demographics such as education, race or gender. Subsequently, those engaged in the exploration of our Internet society should start controlling for how Internet users connect to the World Wide Web