Work

The benefits of socioemotional learning strategies and video formats for older digital immigrants learning a novel smartphone application

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The need to continually learn and adjust to new technology can be an arduous demand, particularly for older adults who did not grow up with digital technology (“older digital immigrants” or ODIs). This study tests the efficacy of socioemotional learning strategies (i.e., encoding information in a socially- or emotionally-meaningful way) for ODIs learning a new software application from an instructional video (Experiment 1) or a written manual (Experiment 2). An experiment-by-condition effect was identified, where memory was greatest for participants engaging socioemotional learning strategies while learning from a video, suggesting a synergistic effect of these manipulations. These findings serve as a first step toward identifying and implementing an optimal learning context for ODIs to learn new technologies in everyday life.

Source: Frontiers in Aging

DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2024.1416139

Authors: Jaclyn H. Ford, Ryan T. Daley, Elizabeth A. Kensinger

Institutions: Boston College, Gordon College

Language: English

Topic: Technology Use by Older Adults

Subfield: Demography

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,125