What do you know about computer - the initial questionnaire

Sex: male 37% (10) female 63%(17) age: average 64.9 years between 52-72 years

How well do you know what these things mean?

No I have I have I know

knowledge seen it tried it how to use it

1. Word processing 11% 18% 54% 18% n=28

2. Internet 19% 4% 37% 41% n=27

3. Email 11% 14% 14% 61% n=28

4. Attached file 36% 21% 36% 7% n=28

5. Spreadsheets 57% 25% 7% 11% n=28

6. Presentation software (Powerpoint) 85% 7% 4% 4% n=27

7. Skype 61% 18% 14% 7% n=28

8. Blog 75% 14% 7% 4% n=28

9. Chat 75% 14% 11% 0% n=28

10. Second life 100% 0% 0% 0% n=28

11. translate.google.com 68% 21% 7% 4% n=28

12. Google Earth 50% 25% 11% 14% n=28

13. Vista 67% 11% 15% 7% n=27

14. Windows XP 54% 18% 11% 18% n=28

15. Windows 2000 57% 21% 14% 7% n=28

16. Linux 100% 0% 0% 0% n=28

17. Ubuntu/EdUbuntu 100% 0% 0% 0% n=27

18. Intel Pentium 4 100% 0% 0% 0% n=27

19. DualCore 100% 0% 0% 0% n=28

20. Hard disk 39% 46% 4% 11% n=28

21. USB 70% 7% 11% 11% n=27

22. USB memory stick 50% 25% 18% 7% n=28

23. Flash memory 96% 4% 0% 0% n=28

24. Flash player 93% 7% 0% 0% n=28

25. Codec 100% 0% 05 0% n=28

26. DVD-ROM 39% 21% 29% 11% n=28

27. bit 76% 16% 0% 8% n=25

28. File 29% 25% 21% 25% n=28

29. Data file 18% 21% 36% 25% n=28

30. Direction.doc 73% 12% 8% 8% n=26

31. Icon 36% 25% 21% 18% n=28

32. Double click 7% 11% 21% 61% n=28

The most familiar ICT elements were the Internet and the necessary software: Email and Internet
browser. Word processing was also a relatively well-known to the learners as well as some of the
computer-related things, such as double clicking, file, folder and icon.

What was least familiar to the students was computing technology. For example, no one knew what
a codec, a Pentium 4, Dual Core, Linux and Ubuntu are. Of all the web services, Second Life was
completely unfamiliar to the learners.

About 50% of the learners knew what a USB memory stick is and this was also the case with
computer operating systems.

In general, the social web was not very well known.

Therefore the most important learning targets on this course are:

computer user-related issues

computer programs in normal use
social interaction programs

Open questions:

What do you find most difficult in data processing?

What new would you like to learn?
What else would you like to add?

Those questions were analysed together because the answers were very similar.
The answers were grouped into five categories: Communication and internet, Using the computer,
Software, The courage to use ICT and “Other”.

Communication and internet (mentioned 24 times)

Internet
To use the Internet
Internet and searching for info
Confidence on the Web (2)
As much as possible, especially the Internet
To use the Internet and to find information, keep contact
E-mail is somehow different
Attaching photos and images, sending multimedia messages. When I lose my mail before I get to
send it – where can I find it again?
E-mail (3)
Blog, etc.
Blogs (3)
Skype (5)
Skype Updates
Google Earth
Using Google.
For example, to order and buy air tickets, trips and accomodation

Using the computer (mentioned 29 times)

Basic skills
To use the machine
To get along with my computer
I want to learn to use a computer.
I try to learn
Terms and certainty, I would like to learn
Understand and to use the machine functions, to learn "vocabulary"
Many of the basic skills - how to copy things in different places
Understand how to use the machine functions, to learn "vocabulary"
To use the computer in many different ways
Starting with new things
New things
English words in the programs
English menus
I have learned through try and error and it is not a smooth way of learning
It seems that my machine has slowed down
In my screen there are questions and texts that I have not searched for and I do not know - what to
do with them
Like all
All (4)
Everything from the beginning
Almost all activities seem difficult to me
Just everything (3)
Everything (2)

Software (mentioned 9 times)

spreadsheet (4)
Word processing (2)
Word
E-mail, invoices for payment.
To use Vista

The courage to use ICT (mentioned 10 times)

Confidence in using ICT – that's what I would like to learn

Getting started
It's easy if you are interested in it
Lots of things to remember
I will ask questions as soon as I will be at the computer itself
I am very timid and scared; I am not familiar with the ICT vocabulary
I haven't had the opportunity to learn on my own, to try and make mistakes, and to correct my mis-
takes
Nearly everything gets me frustrated and swearing aloud
I do not know
I hope patience from the teacher, because I forget more than I learn

Other (mentioned 3 times)

Everything is interesting, also the international nature of this

It is nice to have this type of course organized by the college.
My son is taking a basic course in ICT.

What kind of computer do you have?

Desktop 12
Portable 9
Not a PC 5

Old computers 5

For this course the central things arising are:

motivating and increasing general user confidence

understanding and handling uncertainty when using a computer
understanding the common features in computers (all are different - but similar)
computer usage-related issues
the programs needed for normal, everyday use of a computer
social interaction programs