Jeremy Morse
Shawville April 14, 2022
For the past two years, people have had to find new, creative approaches to continue their ways of life from the pre-pandemic era.
Medical appointments, church services and life’s many celebrations all found a necessary home on video platforms and businesses heavily-invested in their online infrastructure.
A necessary compromise for most, a relief for some, but a . . .
monumental stress for those without a strong grasp on modern tech.
Despite lessened restrictions, many models built and implemented during the pandemic have seemingly stayed for good.
“A lot of people fell through the cracks and were left behind as everything went online,” said Michèle Gagnon, community engagement outreach manager for the Connexions Resource Centre’s Shawville satellite office.
Last Thursday, Connexions Resource Centre held a workshop at St. Paul’s Anglican Church hall to help seniors better understand their smartphones.
The two-hour event focused on menu navigation, essential settings and data protection.
Connexions Resource Centre had previously hosted digital literacy workshops in Aylmer, but this is the first to be held in Shawville.
“It’s so important right now because everything has digitized so quickly, especially over the pandemic,” said Gagnon. “The advancement of technology isn’t going to just slow down.”
The Western Quebec Literacy Council’s (WQLC) outreach coordinator, Krishnan Sundaram, hosted Thursday’s seminar. Sundaram has worked for the WQLC for the past three years, teaching adults traditional and digital literacy skills.
“During the pandemic, it became very apparent that computer skills were becoming a much-needed skill set for seniors, especially for Zoom and videoconferencing so they could keep in-touch,” he said.
“I want to do a job that means something and has a direct impact.”
Sundaram explained how gestures and tactile comfort tend to be the most difficult aspects to teach new smartphone users.
“A lot of the time people are scared to touch and tap,” he said. “A lot of it is the very basic things that we take for granted.”
Sundaram also explained how the true cost of many online services and applications is paid with user data.
Sundaram assured that these free online services and applications still have value, so long as users understand how to control the amount of data they share with these companies.
In his presentation, Sundaram reminded the participants, “You can’t mess anything up.”
Sundaram developed an interest in computers in the 1980s when he taught himself how to record music with a digital audio workstation. “I really had a heartfelt reason to get into it,” he said.
Unlike Sundaram, many seniors have had to learn how to use computers and smartphones out of necessity.
Joyce McCleary Binder found Connexion’s event through social media “by accident”. “I said ‘Oh, yeah. I need to come to this,’” she exclaimed.
McCleary Binder explained how her husband previously handled all of their tech-related endeavors. “He was the professional, he did all this.”
After his passing two years ago, McCleary Binder felt that she should better familiarize herself with modern tech.
With some encouragement from her son, McCleary Binder decided to attend the workshop. “I do know how to do a lot, but I’m excited about this.”
For Sundaram, the most rewarding aspect of his work are the reactions of seniors once they understand a specific feature.
“Every time, there’s at least two or three moments where you notice someone is having an ‘Aha!’ moment, like ‘Oh, that’s what that does.’”
McCleary Binder noted that her greatest revelation from Sundaram’s presentation was “Don’t be afraid to try.”
