Cyber-Seniors

Lesson objectives

1. To be aware not only of generational differences but also of the fact that different generations can enrich each other
2. To think about an individual’s place in society and the possibilities to enforce or realise one’s intention regardless of age
3. To develop respect and positive attitudes towards senior citizens

Shura (88) is a vital senior who makes funny home cooking videos and posts them on YouTube. At the age of 93, Marion performs in a clip where she raps perfectly for the first time. For Ellard (89), skyping with his daughter and chatting with people on Facebook becomes very much a hobby. Until a few months ago, they did not know any of the current virtual networking concepts and could only switch the computer on and off. High school students involved in the Cyber-Seniors project helped them to acquire new know-how, which often turned their lives upside down. The young people patiently explained to people from older generations about how to work with computers from the ground up and, at the end, they all agreed that this experience had brought them together. In addition, the young people are happy that senior citizens, often at risk of social isolation, are now able to establish and maintain new or long-lost contacts. The inspirational film shows how creatively the generation gap can be bridged and confirms that age is only a psychological barrier to learning.

 You can turn on English subtitles for this video.