NATIONAL STUDY OF THE USE OF ICTs AT THE UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMES FOR OLDER PEOPLE

In the framework of the National Spanish Association of University Programmes, and coordinated by the University of Alicante – UPUA, a research in which 40 out of the 43 partner universities of the Association have taken part, and more than 5.000 people have been surveyed.

Sponsored by Doro AB, it provides interesting results obtained from the older adults' use of ICTs, the incidence of the information regarding the University Programmes for Older Adults, challenges and solutions for them in the use of ICTs and resources and available and accessible services.

Title of the Project

NATIONAL STUDY OF THE USE OF ICTs AT THE UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMES FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Project Type

NATIONAL RESEARCH SPONSORED BY DORO AB

Start and End Dates

11/2013 - 06/2014

Coordinating Institution

• Spanish National Association of University Programmes for Older Adults - AEPUM
• University of Alicante

Partner Institutions

• A Coruña - Universidade Sénior da Universidade da Coruña (UDC)
• Alicante - Universidad Permanente
• Almería - Universidad de Mayores
• Autònoma de Barcelona - La Universitat a l'Abast - La Universidad Al Alcance
• Burgos - Interuniversitario de la Experiencia
• Burgos - Universidad Abierta a personas Mayores
• Cádiz - Aula Universitaria de Mayores
• Carlos III de Madrid - Universidad para los Mayores
• Castilla - La Mancha - Universidad de Mayores José Saramago
• Católica Sta. Teresa de Jesús de Ávila - Programa Interuniversitario de la Experiencia
• Complutense de Madrid - Universidad para los Mayores
• Córdoba - Cátedra Intergeneracional Programa Universitario de Mayores
• Deusto - Titulado Universitario en Cultura y Solidaridad
• Extremadura - Programa Universitario de Mayores
• Girona - Aules d'Extensió Universitària de la Gent Gran
• Girona - Programa de Formació Universitària per a Majors de 50 anys
• Granada - Aula Permanente de Formación Abierta
• Huelva - Aula de la Experiencia
• Illes Balears - Universitat Oberta per a Majors
• Jaume I - Universitat per a Majors
• La Laguna - Universidad para mayores
• La Rioja - Universidad de la Experiencia
• Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - Peritia et Doctrina
• Lleida - Aules de la Gent Gran
• Lleida - Programa Senior
• Málaga - Aula de Mayores
• Murcia - Aula Senior
• Oviedo - Programa Universitario para Mayores de la Universidad de Oviedo
• Politécnica de Cartagena - Universidad de Mayores
• Politècnica de València - Universidad Sénior
• Pontificia de Comillas - Universidad de Mayores
• Pontificia de Salamanca - Universidad de la Experiencia (Desde 2002 Interuniversitario de la Experiencia)
• Pública de Navarra - Diploma de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales
• Ramon Llull - Programa Universitari per a Gent Gran
• Rovira i Virgili - Aules de la Gent Gran
• Rovira i Virgili - Universitat Ciutadana
• Salamanca - Interuniversitario de la Experiencia
• Santiago - IV Ciclo
• Sevilla - Aula de la Experiencia
• Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche - Aulas Universitarias de la Experiencia
• Valencia - La Nau Gran
• Valladolid - Programa Interuniversitario de la Experiencia
• Valladolid - Universidad Permanente "Millan Santos"
• Vigo - Programa para Maiores

Description of the Project

This research is being conducted in the framework of the National Spanish Association of University Programmes for Older Adults and of the 43 involved universities in the date of the development of the study.

It has been focused on analysing and checking the trend evolution in the knowledge and use of ICTs by older adults students of the University Programmes for Older Adults.

Although analyses and studies of these characteristics have been individually carried out in the different universities for older adults, this is the first time that a study of this nature integrates all the participants of the Association, who wanted to get involved.

The study is based on a survey that has been elaborated, taking into account the previous research criteria in the University Programmes for Older Adults, which have been reviewed and expanded, taking into account the evolution detected in older adults' programmes, the taught training and demands and needs of the users, as well as services and technological advances available in this field. Furthermore, baseline studies at the international and national level have been taken into account to evaluate the use of the ICTs in the general population and particularly, in the older adult population.

This is the first time that this study is performed together in the framework of AEPUM and focuses on verification and checking of the evolution of trends in the knowledge and use of ICTs. Although these studies have been made on an individual level in the different universities for older adults, this is the first time that it integrates all the Programmes of the National Spanish Association of University Programmes, which wanted to participate. For this reason the questionnaire has been prepared, taking into account the criteria of other previous research on the University Programmes for Older Adults, the items that have worked such studies have been reviewed, implemented and updated regarding to the suffered evolution in the area of ICTs. Baseline studies have been taken into account at a national and international level in order to evaluate the use of ICTs in the general and in the older adult population.

A particular emphasis has been put on the use of the last trends and interests in new technologies at user level like:

• Mobile devices
• Cloud services
• Intuitive user interfaces
• Secure ICT services.

About these items we have collected information about the level of implementation of these technologies in the students of the University Programmes for Older Adults, about its adaptability to this type of user and the perception of use that the older adults have about them.

Data Sheet (survey)

• Type: anonymous
• Filling Medium: On-line form, paper form.
• Filling Period: 11/2013 – 3/2014
• Size of the Survey: 5390 surveyed
• Area: Students of the University Programmes for Older adults partners of the National Spanish Association of University Programmes for Older Adults.
• Universe: Population residing in Spain/ Older than 50 years/ Both sexes.

Thematic areas of the study

• Surveyed profile (Age, gender, study level, previous occupation, domestic situation)
• Available technological resources
• Times of use of the technological resources
• Influence of the Older Adults Programme in the use of technological resources
• Learning methods of use of ICTs
• ICTs tools frequently used. Did you use to work with ICTs in your previous job?
• Main difficulties of the use of ICT
• Attitude and perception of ICTs