Participation in a Digital World: How Seniors Make Sense of and use ICTs

• In Event: 422 - Section on Communication and Information Technologies Paper Session. Inequalities and Communication, Media, and Information Technologies

Abstract

The senior population is often portrayed as having little desire to adopt or understanding information and communication technologies (ICTs). We examine to what extent the digital divide in this population is a reflection of choice or a matter of lack of skills. Twenty-one seniors aged 60+ were interviewed about how they make sense of and use ICTs in the context of their everyday practice. The interviews were transcribed and coded using grounded theory and Key Point analysis. The findings show that seniors’ use of computers was widespread for communication and information seeking purposes. Although all of the participants owned a computer, each of them used it for different purposes and had different reasons for choosing the format in which they consumed information. It was this ability to choose, to determine for themselves which format suited them, that allowed this population to be comfortable with technology. Hence, many seniors participate in an increasingly digitized social world, but on their own terms.

Authors

• Anabel Quan-Haase, University of Western Ontario

• Kim Martin, Western University

• Kathleen Schreurs, Western University