We belong to the U3A. The University of the Third Age is a volunteer organisation providing classes and activities in a whole variety of subjects. It is for seniors who want to keep alert, active and social. Tutors are volunteers and they don't have to be professors or qualified teachers, all they need is a passion for their subject. When I retired I joined up hoping to learn more about photography. Somehow we ended up being coerced into being the facilitators of a camera club. We have been going for more than 2 years now and we get a good roll up at each meeting. In fact we had so many wanting to join this year that now we have a waiting list. We hold the meetings at the local Library in a great room with black out curtains. We have 40 members on the books and 15 waiting. We must be doing something right.
One session was about how to share digital photos. We went through many options such as photobooks, Flickr and other similar sites and also discussed blogging. From that two new classes were formed. One on How to make Photobooks and another was How to Blog.
TOH suggested that we could run the blogging class. However, we wanted it only to be a small group so that we could have it at our house for a faster internet than at the library. So for four Wednesdays we have a group of 10 oldies turn up with their laptops or iPads and we get stuck into it. They are a great group and we have lots of fun.
One session was about how to share digital photos. We went through many options such as photobooks, Flickr and other similar sites and also discussed blogging. From that two new classes were formed. One on How to make Photobooks and another was How to Blog.TOH suggested that we could run the blogging class. However, we wanted it only to be a small group so that we could have it at our house for a faster internet than at the library. So for four Wednesdays we have a group of 10 oldies turn up with their laptops or iPads and we get stuck into it. They are a great group and we have lots of fun.
Helping each other and learning for pleasure.
One of the members show us how to blog on an iPad.
Techno oldies rule!
Well now, that is a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteGood on you all and best of luck :)
Great to see the 'oldies' wanting to learn technology.
Diane, this is a great idea and so nice of you and your hubby to open you home to these classes. I do think it is wonderful that even the Seniors want to be Tech Savvy. I could use a lesson in blogging with my ipad. I wish everyone lots of luck! Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteWhat a grand idea! Put me on the list. :)
ReplyDeletewhat a brilliant idea.
ReplyDeletethat's great!
good on you all.
thanks for sharing this wonderful post.
wishing you a nice day~
Hooray for all of you and especially three cheers for the teachers! (And I'd love to join the class to learn how to use my IPAD better. Can I come? (;>)))
ReplyDeleteI think that is the most marvelous program ever and we need more of those here! You and TOH are perfect tutors I am sure and how fun to be able to share with new friends.
ReplyDeleteI agree they rule because i am one
ReplyDeleteHow brilliant. You should get them all to share their blog URLs and we can start reading them too. I can't wait to retire!
ReplyDeleteWell---that's how we stay young. Right??? We need to do whatever we can to stay young and vibrant --and healthy. I'm proud of you two for teaching those classes...
ReplyDeleteMy father-in-law taught himself to use the computer when he was 90 yrs. old. SO--we're never too old to keep learning!!!!!
Congrats--am proud of you!
Hugs,
Betsy
We do live in very interesting times. It happened faster than I thought but people who don't have the internet and don't know how to use a computer are now quite disadvantaged. My mother is among the computer illiterate, but at least she knows enough about them to ask her children to look up things and print them out for her.
ReplyDeleteHaving taught some people about computers in the past, I know how hard it is deal with every computer being set up differently.
i just commend you for sharing knowledge with each other - and for a lot of laughs, i'm sure. :)
ReplyDeleteLovely post, Diane! These classes are great, and there is so much fun to be had and so much to be learned!
ReplyDeleteTuition was high quality.... Despite TOH not always paying attention.
ReplyDeleteRon alias the Man-in-the-Blue-stripy-shirt)
U3A classes are great! We learn so much. It's great for you to be able to use your skills of teaching in retirement!
ReplyDeleteYour lesson is taking too long, my stomach is rumbling.
ReplyDeletevery interesting Diane. Great class.
ReplyDeleteyou're offering a great service and bet those participating are really getting a lot out of your tuition Diane
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post it is wonderful that so many people are so tech savy as they get older..........and not ditting old fools.......
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great there is always something new and fun to learn, no matter how old we get!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea !! We have lots of photo classes here, but my trouble is now, that I learned all the technical words in English and struggle with French, because I don't know the vocabulary ! It was the same for explaining internet to my friends, because the computers are all in French, but that I learned meanwhile.
ReplyDeleteMr. G. is a teacher twice a week for the Waterloo city. There is a class with 9 computers which allows Waterloo citizens to a start in the computer world !
Hello Diane, thank you for calling by my place - well what you're doing is fantastic and I'm going to see if there's anything like it up here! I'm still settling in so I haven't had the chance really to look about. You are all so techo savvy! I'm impressed!
ReplyDeleteOoo I love computer technology. It just gets better and better every year. Having worked on computers for 40 years it is unimaginable what the next 40 could bring. It would be fun to last long enough to find out.
ReplyDeleteI bow down to you both! How you have the time to run a club as well as keeping up with your other activities just astounds me. I am enjoying my U3A involvement with the ramblers group and table tennis. I would love to join your little group to find out more about blogging.
ReplyDeleteYou retired ? I think not. The young ones think that the internet is just for them. It has opened so many doors for so many older people Diane. Keep up the good work helping others.
ReplyDeleteI think it's wonderful that you and TOH are helping 'oldies' become comfortable with new technology. The technology can certainly be intimidating.
ReplyDeleteFantastic Diane, I think it's such a good idea..really makes 'oldies' feel much more in touch with the world when they know just even a little about current technology...says me who is the biggest technophobe out haha!
ReplyDeleteKudos to you and TOH!
ReplyDeleteI think it would be so wonderful to spend time with like minded individuals. I learn best when it's hands on and from someone else.
You'll have to introduce us to some of their blogs.
My only question is do you have snacks afterwards? LOL! I'd come and bring the cookies!
Oh this is wonderful I need to come to your class still trying to blog from android not doing it yet. You are amazing to be doing . Buttons
ReplyDeleteU3A is a terrific idea and I have to admit that I get a good laugh at the thought of my father running an 'IT for Oldies' class in his coastal town when he relies on calling Sapphire from half a world away for advice!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun and you learn more as you go. I would like to do a course on cameras. Now I have a new camera I am struggling with the settings as I am so used to auto! Have a good day Diane
ReplyDeleteHi dear Loved your post. We do at my work something very simular and give free help with a lot of computer stuff. We find that many older people are quite afraid of computers. We tried to do blogging and other stuff but most found it challenging. You are doing very well. I am impressed. Would love to talk to you about it one day
ReplyDeleteTechno oldies do indeed rule. Good for you for getting involved and for sharing your expertise.
ReplyDeleteGreat job! I've worked with computers for more that 30 years and if I could teach people one thing and get them to understand it that one thing would be how to navigate on the computer. I get more questions on how to find something or they've saved it but don't know where.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great post Diane. It looks like a lot of fun. I would enjoy going to those get-togethers.
ReplyDelete