Internet for over 50's

DCFC79

Has anyone bought a book for using the internet for a relative which they have found it useful

melipona

Can I suggest that learning to use the Internet is one of those things that is quite difficult to learn from a book, too many new words, concepts and key presses.

Have you had a look locally to see if there is a suitably short course available? Libraries often run them, for most people it would be much quicker to learn and easier to assimilate the information and usually there will be some handouts provide so that lessons learned can be read and possibly applied at home.

DCFC79

melipona wrote: »

Can I suggest that learning to use the Internet is one of those things that is quite difficult to learn from a book, too many new words, concepts and key presses.

Have you had a look locally to see if there is a suitably short course available? Libraries often run them, for most people it would be much quicker to learn and easier to assimilate the information and usually there will be some handouts provide so that lessons learned can be read and possibly applied at home.

its not for me, its for my nan, shes just got access to the internet, i thought a book would be a good idea, ill suggest trying the library

melipona

This is neither my, nor I expect, your locality, but gives an idea of what you can get at a library.
http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/leisure/libraries/tryit.htm

and they are well used to helping Nans

Iguana

Check and see if your local area does free or subsidised classes for people over sixty; Age concern do a book, but their website is down at the moment. I think its called 'Silver Surfers'.

brawd

Just deviating slightly from the books bit of this thread but in North Cornelly, just outside Porthcawl in south Wales I run a beginners introduction to computers for £1:50 a session. It's on most Wednesday nights. No exams or tests to worry about with us, just a chance to mess with computers with help nearby. If anyone is wondering about how fast we go well one of the girls took just over 9 months to be able to handle her email. The oldest is 74. Mind most manage it in 2 weeks.

Guys tend to want to know specific things - like what's excel or how does email work. They tend to come and learn just that and then they are gone. Ladies seem to want to be IT technicians, they want to know everything.

There were a couple of incidents that might be worth a mention, all my fault of course for not being precise enough when I said what to do.

First was when I told one chap we are going to show him how to email friends. "Type in www.hotmail.com", I said. A minute later he yelled "HELPOHMYGODHELP". I turned to look and he had typed in hotMALE I rapidly showed him where the Back button was.

Another was when a lady got in a bit of a knot and asked me what to do. I looked across from where I was working with another lady and said, "Right click on the mouse, that should give you a clue". A minute later she said, "No, its not done anything". I looked across and there WRITTEN on the screen was "Click on the mouse".

So there you go. If your local and interested show up at Caddt, Heol Llan, North Cornelly on Wednesday nights. It's £1:50 with a cup of coffee/tea thrown in.

regards,

brawd.

brawd

OOps,

Can anyone edit that address please. Awfully sorry.

brawd

Whew, OK I've done it.
brawd.

PS. See what I mean.

chesky369

Also, you could try your local adult education department - we are just coming up to the start of the autumn term, so it would be a good time to check out if they do specific courses on internet skills.

System

"Brilliant Internet for the Over 50's" by P.K.MacBride, published by Pearson/Prentice Hall £12.99

Large print, easy layout/diagrams etc

Will this do you?

Mrs_Money

If the person in question is able to get access to a computer with an internet connection then the BBC has a good on-line course (free) about the internet - very comprehensive and easy to understand - I teach IT and Internet to this sort of age group (and much older) and I've used it often. Also I think a book is sometimes hard to relate to the actual experience of using the net and this course gives a realistic look at how it is all done.