The Dos and Don'ts of IT Education for Adults

Chapter I

Why have we written this report - and for whom?

Continual education

The European Year of Lifelong Learning has drawn our attention to the fact that continual education and training will be necessary for people to meet the requirements of working life - at present and even more so in the future. We have also been made aware that education is necessary not just to improve people's chances on the job market or to improve their job satisfaction, but also to help their personal development and to improve their life quality in general. As information technology is already playing an important role in education as well as in working life, and is likely to play a much greater role in the future, we have to take care that we don't leave some people behind in our strides towards an advanced information society.

This report does not pretend to be a manual on how to avoid a gap between the knows and the know-nots when it comes to using IT. At best we can hope to give some inspiration to teachers by sharing our experience. If teachers feel that our few words of advice are not worth listening to, at least we can hope that we have contributed to raising their consciousness about the job they are doing in relation to people with limited educational background in general and limited knowledge of how to use computers in particular.

Democratic participation

At present there are a number of people who have no access to IT and no conscious interest in having such access. In modern societies, in which access to information is vital in the process of democratic participation, this situation is hardly acceptable in the long run. There are probably people who will feel that they can make no sensible use of IT, and they should obviously have the right to hold such an opinion. The opinion should not, however, be allowed to be built on lack of knowledge of the IT area. As IT will continue to play an even greater role in the future, both in the classrooms and in individual learning, it is of prime importance that everybody should have at least some knowledge in this field.

Although one might ideally say that a person should be allowed to make the choice not to become involved in using IT, this is a position that can become difficult to defend in a few years' time. It is not exactly like choosing not to watch TV, which is something people can obviously do without limiting their choice of jobs to any considerable degree. They may often find themselves socially at a disadvantage because they lack the background information that other people refer to, but a knowledge of TV is not a prerequisite for their work. IT is used in jobs to such an extent that it may be difficult to get a job that doesn't require some sort of computer skill in the future.

Some people who claim that they are not interested in IT, are probably prompted by a feeling of inadequacy. They feel that they can't handle computers and fear to be considered less valuable as individuals and workers because of their lack of skills in this field. Such a feeling can seriously hamper people's opportunities to participate in the information society and will very probably limit their opportunities on the job market. The inner limitation that some people build up, can be as damaging as lack of education or opportunities. When people have a basic knowledge of IT, they are more likely to be willing to learn some more, and they may thus achieve the IT standards needed in the jobs they want.

The fundamental attitude behind this report is one of democratic concern. As computers are becoming an increasingly important tool in most people's working environments, there are people who are left outside this general development. This may be one element that contributes to those people's permanent marginalization, and this is a development that modern societies can hardly allow, for various reasons.

It is important for us to underline the fact that we don't see technology as an end in itself. What we are concerned about is people's general access to the technology as a tool and as a means of communication. The idea of equal opportunities for everybody must be valid also when it comes to using a tool which can make people's working lives easier, give possibilities for development also outside job situations and facilitate communication with other people at very low cost.

Social cohesion

No society, not even our modern western societies, will function well without some degree of social cohesion. And there are limits to how wide the split between social groups should be allowed to become, socially and economically. There is a great deal of focus on the individual and on individual development in Europe. In the learning process which is part of this personal development, computers will play an increasingly important role. Knowledge of how to use the technology may therefore be extremely important for a person's self-image. And, as we have already mentioned, for the sake of democratic participation in civic society, we must try to reduce the number of people who will be permanently excluded from the potentially influential groups that have access to information.

Unless we manage to retain a large degree of social cohesion, society runs the risk of developing large groups which may feel rebellious against the majority or which may become an economic burden to that majority because they will be permanently in need of social assistance.

Wasting human capital

Industry and commerce will also, on a large scale if not on company level, be interested in not allowing any group of people to remain marginalized. Although Europe may not need all of its potential labour force at any given moment, it can hardly accept having a permanently marginalized group with the social implications that this will entail both in terms of financial cost and in reduced quality of life. In addition to the potential cost there is also the possibility that creative abilities may be wasted in the sense that they may never be discovered. In order for the human capital to be used to its fullest, the whole population must feel that they are valuable individuals, and this can be achieved through investing in their education while they are not taking an active part on the job market and through in-service training while they are employed.

Our target groups

Our intention when writing this booklet, is to give a few words of advice to teachers who are or will be relating to people who are taking their first steps into the IT field. Our primary purpose, then, is to give teachers ideas about how to avoid scaring adult learners into never going near a computer again or doing it with such a degree of muscular and mental tension that learning will be seriously hampered.

The immediate target group of our report, therefore, are the teachers who relate to IT in their teaching. We hope that our booklet may be useful as a source of inspiration for teachers who feel the need to get some new ideas, or perhaps the need to verify whether they are on the right track in their classroom activities. But, of course, the ultimate target group are the learners with limited educational background, those who risk losing out in the learning society towards which we are moving.

Lifelong learning

The European Year of Lifelong Learning has also focused on the fact that knowledge today is an unstable "commodity". Truths that applied yesterday may not apply to the same extent tomorrow. It is generally thought that IT will play a very important role indeed in the updating of people's knowledge, and this doesn't only apply for the things we need to know in our jobs, but also to the knowledge we need as family members and as members of society in a wide sense. Information search through, for example, the Internet will be an important part of flexible learning in the future. Becoming familiar with the use of the technology is therefore important in connection with learning in general. It is also obvious that the information technology is developing very fast and those who use IT will continually need to learn different methods or different tools. IT in itself creates the need for lifelong learning. Learning to learn is therefore an increasingly important skill. Adults need to accept that they will in the future be obliged to be engaged in a continuous learning process and that IT isn't something you learn once and for all.

Adult learners should, however, not be regarded as information searchers only. They can potentially be the information suppliers, but before they get to that stage, they will have to go through the first steps of becoming familiar with the technology, and - in order to make meaningful use of IT - with the cultural issues that relate to the use of IT as well.

The authors

The authors of this booklet are adult educators who have been teaching adults for a number of years. Three of us are primarily language teachers. Only one is strictly speaking a computer expert. What we present in this booklet is simply our own experience. We have acquired this experience in three different Nordic countries: Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Our statements in this booklet are not based on research; there isn't any particularly systematic observation behind our views either. We feel, however, that when our little group agree on so many of our individual observations, there must be some truth in them. We are aware of the fact that we are not really saying anything strikingly new in pedagogical terms. The reason why we feel writing this report is a meaningful and worthwhile task, is our conviction that the field of IT teaching has been left to a considerable degree, and for too long, not to teachers but to computer experts. This normally means that pedagogical considerations have not been the primary issue in IT teaching. We also feel that sharing our views and initiating a discussion about them with our readers will help us to develop better methods on teaching IT to adult learners. To formalise and write our theories down is in itself also a development of pedagogical methods.

The booklet is based on our experience in 1996. We realise that, with the fast development of the technology, what we are saying here may be totally irrelevant in a few years' time. We hope, however, that we can contribute a few basic thoughts that may help us take a step towards better IT education for adults.

Fears and hopes

Unless something is done to counteract the existing tendencies, there is reason to fear that the divisions in our societies will not become smaller in the future. A large number of people - including young people - run the risk of being permanently excluded from the job market. If these people in addition run the risk of being excluded from the social community that one's workplace normally is, some other type of social structure will have to replace it. We have to assume that our governments will want to include most people in the job market, for example by investing in education for the jobless.

A non-threatening and encouraging learning environment may constitute the type of social setting that is otherwise formed by a working environment. Therefore it is very important to pay a lot of attention to how this learning environment is built up, and in particular to how the teachers approach the learners.

As distance education involving the use of IT plays an increasingly important role, politicians start talking about cutting the cost of education by providing education via Internet, thereby diminishing the budget for educational buildings. Although this vision might only partly materialise in the near future, it is very likely that many educational opportunities will only be available for those who know how to use IT and will therefore exclude those who have not acquired this knowledge.

Learner challenges

Computer classes or simply word processing classes may be used to illustrate how precarious or how sensitive the first meeting between teacher and learner is. The technology brings in an extra element of challenge. Adult students may feel very self-conscious in a negative way. To them this is a new social setting that includes their fellow students and a teacher - very often a lot younger than themselves - who will be making demands on them. Added to this social challenge there is the threat of this "machinery" that so many others - friends and neighbours - know how to operate, and which they love talking about but which for the student may easily be not so much a challenge as an obstacle. In such a setting it is obvious that IT teachers will be very important people when it comes to bridging the gap between adults who feel like computer illiterates and the rest of society. Because computer literacy will be so important when it comes to establishing lifelong learning as a normal aspect of adult life, these teachers will also be the bridge-builders between those who are informed - those who can use the tools to get information - and those who risk being permanently marginalized in the sense that they may be excluded both from working life and from a more comprehensive social sense of belonging.

What can we achieve?

The authors of this booklet have no intention of preaching a gospel. Salvation does not lie in using computers. There may - possibly - be fields of working life, also in the future, where people will not need computers to function satisfactorily. There are certainly forms of artistic expression where computers have no function. When we hold the opinion that everybody should be introduced to computer use, it is not because we think everybody should become a computer user on a permanent basis. People should have the right to say "no" if they see no useful function of the computers in their lives. They should, however, not be allowed to say "no" out of fear or ignorance.

The job relevance of IT education may not be obvious to many adult learners. The sort of job they expect to be doing, will have a lot of influence on their view. Motivation to learn may be closely linked with this job relevance. What should be more obvious to most people, is the fact that the fast pace of changes in our societies will demand an equally fast pace in the updating of our knowledge. As active lifelong learners we will all find the information technology valuable and probably inevitable, particularly as the development towards merging computers and TV screens, makes video and other services "on demand" part of our everyday lives. People's own tailor-made education on demand will be an important element in their lifelong learning, although the social aspect of learning will certainly mean that learning together with others will run parallel with the strictly technology-based learning.

Chapter II

How do we motivate the learners?

The first attempt

Students in adult education have usually heard glamorous descriptions of computers and what they can do. Sometimes the reality is far from the descriptions. It may often take hard training and a considerable amount of work to accomplish the desired task. It is therefore important not to start IT education with a brave show by the teacher of what it is possible to do. Theoretical introductions, which tend to be too long and irrelevant are rather useless. The learners have to understand and accept a given task, and they must realise why they are learning it and why it is useful. Apart from that it is not necessary for the teacher to give a long introduction. The most important thing is to get the students to the computers as soon as possible.

An example of a first session

For many adults the first meeting with IT is through a course on word processing. What do new students need to know about it before they begin? First and foremost they should know what the task is about and why it is a good idea to solve it using a computer. Apart from that no further knowledge is needed but how to enter the program, i. e. how to use the mouse to double click on the program icon so that they can start writing.

Sometimes the learners need to go through a login process on a computer system to enter the menu for the word processing. It is important to have this information delivered on paper to the students in the beginning of the course. At the same time it is important to describe why people have to use "login" and "password" so they understand why this is not needed at their own home computer or any other single computer. The description has to be short and no details included. People are usually not interested in how a computer network works. Therefore it is important just to describe, with pictures, the concept "server" and the concept "client". No further description is needed.

As a first task it is important for the student to have something well defined to write. It is usually not desirable to just tell them "write whatever you want". Too much energy goes into thinking what to write and it is not suitable for the first session of word processing. The text has to be short, about 5-10 lines, and although functions such as bold and centre may have been used in the printed text that is handed out, the student is not asked to use those at this stage.

When the teacher has handed out the first task, he/she leaves the position in front of the students or "lecturing position" and starts walking around. It is preferable to have all the computers turned in the same direction; then the teacher can walk to the back of the room and see all the computer screens at the same time. This makes it easier to spot problems that arise.

When a problem occurs, the teacher walks slowly to the student, without making any verbal comments to the whole class, and asks what is wrong. He/she listens to the description that the student gives and answers directly.

A common difficulty for beginners is that they can't operate the double click function on the mouse. It is very important not to grab the mouse and do it yourself. How will the student enter the program the next time if the teacher did it the first time? If the student still can't find the right rhythm after two or three attempts, it is time to give him/her some encouragement. Place your finger on the student's shoulder and explain that it is the speed that matters, give the student the feeling of the rhythm in the double click by double clicking on his/her shoulder. If that doesn't work, or if you don't feel comfortable doing it, place your hand over the student's hand on the mouse and lightly let your finger double click on the students finger. Don't do it in such a way that you are actually double clicking yourself. Now let your student try again. If it still doesn't work, place your hand over the student's hand on the mouse (in the right position) and do the actual double clicking on the student's finger. Don't do it without the student's physical involvement. It is possibly a good idea to exit the program at this point and let the student do it again, but it is also OK to leave it until the next double click is necessary. Don't make your student insecure and explain that it is quite common that it takes time to get the feeling of how the double click works.

Slowly wander among the students, moving to the back of the room to check the monitors and returning to the front of the room. If there is nothing to do, keep silent but visible.

Individual help

If a student needs help on the keyboard, e.g. to make capital letters, or if he/she doesn't find the right button, go to him/her and explain or point at the given button. Don't touch the keyboard. Think of yourself as having your hands tied behind your back.

After a while your students might ask how to correct the text. Then tell them, individually, how to use the mouse and arrows to move within the document. Certain students might want to make the text bold or centred, like the text on their paper. Then explain how it can be done.

When most of the students have finished, give them instructions on how to save the document but try not to complicate things by explaining the difference between "drives", "folders" or "files". It is still too early for that. Use the standard configuration for saving files in the computer system you are using.

When the students, or most of the students have finished, take your "lecture" position again and now go through the main problems and tasks. Explain what happens to a document that is saved and how to retrieve it.

Give the students the opportunity to ask questions and express feelings about what they have been doing. Both if they have had problems as well as if they have solved the task easily. Praise them and encourage them but make sure it comes out very naturally and never talk down to them.

It is quite possible that within the group there are students who can solve the first task quite easily. Have another task prepared for them. Still, it is important to ask them to close the word processing before starting again, so they will be more familiar with the process.

Before the class finishes tell the students what you are going to do next and if you expect them to do something between classes. Emphasise that it is important to practise since computer skill is not just knowing how to do things but also being able to do those things at a certain speed. It is not enough to know how certain dancing steps are taken: training is needed to actually be able to dance.

In your next class, start reminding your students what was done last time, explain maybe a little further than you did in the first session. Ask if there are burning questions or if they have emotions about the task. It can be very stressful to start to use computers, so it is very important that potential problems are recognised and treated in each class. Frustration in front of a computer is a frequent phenomenon and quite difficult to handle. Computers are far too precise and tolerate errors to a very limited extent. Explain the limitations of a computer program and that computers are not intelligent at all, so they can't compensate for our small mistakes, be it in spelling or otherwise. Also, if you see tensions manifest themselves, explain that it is quite natural to be stressed in front of the computer. Mention your own experience or some prior experience you have had while teaching other students.

It actually doesn't matter what you are teaching, whether it is word processing, spread sheet or Internet, similar procedures should be adopted.

After the first step

When all students have started to work independently, you slowly begin to «fade» your explanations. You might give alternatives when the students ask questions, so they can try to remember the correct answer. Don't run to them as fast as you can when they have a problem. It is a good thing that they have to wait a bit; that will give them time to reflect on the problem and maybe find the answers by themselves. Try not to answer directly how to solve the problem. You can now begin to give two alternative instructions on the same issue. It is often possible to do the same things via icons and menus in the software. Explain both. In the beginning it is important, however, to use the menus to introduce them to the students. They are later more likely to use icons without thinking what they are choosing. After they have started using the menus, point out the icons.

Fading (giving less and less instructions as time goes by) is a good teaching method in the computer classroom. Don't let your students rely on you for all explanations all the time. That would extend the time it takes for them to learn how to work on their own.

Try to absent yourself from the room from time to time, but do it gradually, just for a short time in the beginning. If you feel uncomfortable about leaving the room, attend to other things and just react when the students ask for help. If possible, move to a position where the student has to stand up from the computer and go to you to ask for advice. Students will then keep trying for a while longer to solve the problem themselves before going to ask for help.

Tricks

If possible ask your students to communicate with you through e-mail about the problems they have. Students are usually far more open in an e-mail message than they would be in front of the class or in direct communication with the teacher. Try communicating with your students outside class via e-mail or plan that as part of your class if possible. It has amazed many teachers to see the effect it has on the students when they start to communicate with the teachers through writing. At the same time, it is easier to evaluate the students' work.

Adults as learners

Adults who are beginning to use computers are more and more getting the feeling that they are "behind" the rest of society. It might be experienced as being "left out" or as incapability. Therefore it is important to give those feelings immediate attention and treat the students with the utmost respect. If you see things they are doing which you yourself are interested in or which you are perhaps incapable of doing, comment on it although it has nothing to do with the class activity. It is important to point out that some people are clever at working with computers while others may have their strength in other fields. Nevertheless, make sure you keep pointing out that everybody, even those of them who feel very little technically skilled, can learn the principles governing standard software, given time and the right instructions.

Example

Nursing assistants beginning their instruction in computer classes had negative feelings about learning how to use computers. They expressed the feeling that they didn't need computers at all since their profession was about taking care of people. Their start was therefore rather negative. It took some time to explain to them how they could make use of computers and how the skills they could acquire during the course could give them more job opportunities within their own profession. To begin with they followed the curriculum that is normally used for an upper secondary school class. The program was changed, however, to include the use of educational software related to their job, as well as visiting the computer departments of their institutions. At first they thought that they would not be allowed in or that they would not be treated with respect due to their profession. Quite the opposite proved to be the case when they gave it a try. They were welcomed everywhere and learned a great deal more about how computers were used at the places they normally worked. When the course was over, they were asked what they had learned most from. The teacher expected the answers to be related to computers in one way or the other. But they answered that they had learned to believe in themselves and that they where capable of much more than they expected in the beginning. It seems true that people who do not normally use computers in their work feel handicapped, since they don't know how to handle information technology. In this case, proving to people that they had the ability to use and the opportunity to choose tools and to understand a bit of what is going on in the information society, gave them a totally new feeling about their own position. This is true for so many others in different professions: they don't know how they can use computers, are often filled with negative emotions towards the tools and that results in feeling less competent as a person. The possibility of erasing that negative self-image is in itself very important. The ability to choose to use computers or decide that they are not appropriate for a given task, is an important talent that no-one can do without in today's society.

Chapter III

What do learners need?

Is spending time on IT appropriate?

The degree of desire to know something about information technology varies immensely among adults. Many are interested, while others avoid it for various reasons. These reasons may be related to negative feelings or lack of self-esteem or it might be related to the availability of appropriate education. One reason is that they know it takes time to learn to use a computer and they know they have enough to do as it is. They can't see that the technology will save time. Others avoid it because they feel that they can't possibly learn it and fear a learning situation where they would be bound to show their ignorance in a peer group because of their inability to communicate about basic things in IT. Since those who try to avoid getting in contact with IT are one of our target groups, we have to focus on the analysis of what their needs might be. How do they build up a need or a longing to learn IT-based methods to solve problems in their jobs? How do we motivate them?

Adults who are involved in their work, need to focus on reality, i. e. they will have to ask themselves why they should spend time on learning something and how they will themselves, as well as their working place, benefit from the learning. In the past, glamorous descriptions of technical possibilities were enough to attract some adults to courses about IT. The people who started, spent an enormous amount of time learning to handle the technology, often with very limited results. Those who are not using IT, may remember their colleagues who spent all that time, including part of their spare time to learn to master a technology they had only a limited need of. They are not likely to be interested in spending the same amount of time on learning themselves.

Courses for adults

Adults need a reason why they should learn and they need to make a plan of how they are going to learn as well as planning the time that it takes, i. e. basically when to learn.

Far too often courses offered to adults are in well equipped computer classrooms where the technology functions without problems. There is staff around that can fix whatever problem comes up but when the learner comes to his or her office or home, things are not quite the same. Maybe the software is different, maybe it is the same but is differently configured or maybe there are some elements that simply don't work.

Due to these setbacks adults feel that they are "failing" because things are not so simple at home as they where in the ideal circumstances in the classroom where they learned. One way of solving this problem is to plan a course in at least two parts where the students have to solve tasks in their own working environment. While they do so they should have access to support and help so that they don't strand on some basic problems in the technology or handling of the software they are using. This can be done with a mixture of face-to-face classroom activity and on-line distance learning. In this way they will be in constant connection with their teacher and fellow students, with whom they can then co-operate in solving tasks. This model works sometimes, but one has to admit that in some instances it just adds to the complexity. Nevertheless, when the possibility is available, having access to the course on-line is definitely a major support to the adult learner working at home or at his or her office.

Learning to fail

For beginners it is vital to understand that the technology is bound to fail sometimes. Not only does it fail, but it fails in totally different ways from what they know from prior experience. It is therefore enormously important to build into all beginners' courses for adults a chapter on «trouble shooting» instructions, a simple checklist of what to do when something fails. Here is an example of what such a checklist might look like:

When something fails:

* Define the failure. What were you doing and what was the reaction in the computer?

* Check whether things had been done correctly. If not sure, try again.

* Read error messages on the screen if they appear and then react based on that message. If you don't understand the message, write it down and ask someone who does.

* Before seeking assistance, try to define as well as you can what is wrong.

* Remember technology can fail, focus on solving the problem.

If possible, it is good to give the students a list of FAQ (Frequently asked questions) on problems that can arise in the area. The mere existence of such a list makes it very obvious for the learner that problems are expected, that problems are not always their fault, and that there are ways to solve the problems. It also means that the learner doesn't need as much help from experts while starting to use computers. Some of the problems they can solve by themselves.

The ability to choose

If adults are not interested in using IT in their jobs, they might have a good reason. But it is important to know a few basic facts about the technology before rejecting it. Having basic knowledge of IT means that the adult has the possibility to select or reject. It is not always convenient to use computers in all circumstances but those who have no knowledge of using IT don't have the ability to choose. One reason for learning the basic things about IT can therefore be to know on what basis one rejects the technology. Adult learners need to be made aware of this fact, as a motivating factor.

The irritation element

Computer software usually has very little tolerance for mistakes or doing things differently. Therefore it is quite natural that the learner gets irritated and disappointed. Small mistakes lead to error messages on the screen stating "failures" very clearly, a fact which often is not easy to cope with. It is very important that the teacher recognises the irritation and reacts to it. If the teacher gives the student attention while in the irritation phase, it will be over sooner than if the teacher just avoided the problem. It can be helpful to make the student aware of the fact that the computer, lacking a human intelligence, cannot make allowances for mistakes - like small spelling errors - which are completely normal in human communication. It is often the computer's «stupidity» and not the student's, which can be blamed for the error messages. Adult students need to know that it is natural to be irritated at computers and that this type of working environment often lead to this reaction.

A student that is irritated and disappointed learns more slowly than the one that is confidently seeking to learn and to know. Far too often expectations are raised too high due to the fact that course organisers are attracting students to their institutions and courses through fancy advertisements. When reality fails to fulfil what has been advertised, it causes disappointment. It is therefore very important to avoid advertising a course in a way that raises hopes higher than what is realistic to hope for. It is better that the student feels that she or he has learned more than what they expected than vice versa.

Sometimes teachers start with computer games of some sort to make the computer more attractive to new learners. This isn't always successful for adults. They will soon enough find out about "Solitaire" in the Windows environment or other games in whatever the environment is. To let adults play games to get used to the mouse or keyboard is just a waste of the course time. They will probably learn equally fast and well by using the mouse and the keyboard in the programs they are learning, so why not start there directly? It is important to respect the learner and his/her tasks, and playing a game can be interpreted as a childish task. The might interpret this as a signal that one can't expect much from them.

It is important for teachers to minimise the use of computer "jargon", as this affects the learner so they feel "smaller" or ignorant. Most of the "jargon" is not necessary, but if some concept is absolutely important, it is appropriate to explain the meaning or ask if the meaning of the concept is clear to the group. Adult learners who are not interested in computers or software as such but just need the tool, usually don't need much knowledge of the technical matters of the computer or the environment expressed on the screen. While it is fascinating for computer scientists or those who are eager to know as much as possible about computers, it is just boring for the learner who is maybe just attending a course to learn to use word processing or computer communication. When possible, it is good to give the learners a dictionary of common concepts and phrases of the area so that they can refer to it when needed.

The tools/programs

Internet

It is often very difficult to decide what is suitable for a particular group, when it comes to choosing what to teach about technology and software. The major error that most computer educated teachers make, is to teach about the tool instead of teaching how it is possible to make use of given software or technology. Most of us remember glamorous descriptions of software and tools but when it comes to reality it is often difficult for people to relate the picture to their work or current tasks.

A few years ago Internet was explained to a farmer who listened carefully and got wonderful explanations that on Internet she could "write to millions of people in the world", "find information about whatever she wanted to find" and that "it took a letter only couple of minutes to get from Iceland to New Zealand". After having taken in the glamorous picture she responded "you are describing this just as I remember the telephone was described when I was young. I was told that I could use the telephone to contact institutions and sources that would give me information about whatever there is. We thought we didn't need that tool, but later we discovered we did. Despite all those promises, however, I don't feel that my telephone gives me the opportunity to communicate with all the people in the world that have a telephone. Somehow I don't think that Internet will change exactly that. I can see the usefulness of the speed and it is wonderful to be able to communicate at so much lower cost, but what should I be talking about with a farmer in New Zealand? I am definitely interested in what they are doing, but I don't speak English."

It is very important to communicate about the tools we are introducing in a way that is understandable to the people we are communicating with. We have to relate to the reality of the adults who are learning to use the technology.

Chapter IV

In our growing information society a great deal of information is going to be accessed and retrieved through and sometimes only through the Internet or intranets.

For many reasons it is essential to have a basic knowledge of software applications and general configurations of a computer. To buy a computer which best serves your needs you may for instance want to understand the information about computers in advertisements. If you already have a computer you may need to change some configurations in order to update information and make it comply with new applications.

Even though most people use their computers as word processing machines today you may also want to use your machine for a specific purpose in which certain hardware requirements need to be met.

The development of software and hardware is indeed so fast that you need to understand why a fully adequate machine of today might be obsolete in a very short time.

In the following pages I have chosen to speak of three different levels of computer literacy.

Level 1, (L1), is at the most basic level. You learn how to open and close a programme and a few simple functions like saving and retrieving files and using the mouse.

Level 2, (L2), deals with what you should learn in basic computer courses.

Level 3, (L3), describes the level of computer literacy needed to work on a machine at home without relying on help or technical support.

In basic computer courses the learner should learn to use

• the most common functions of a word processing programme
• some of the functions of a spread sheet programme
• some of the functions of a layout programme
• routines for safety/backup
• anti-virus programmes

A fully computer literate person (L3) has a good knowledge of all the concepts described below:

Software and working with the machine

A windows-based environment with pull down menus is the most common interface for most applications.

The user needs to have a fairly good grasp of:

• Working with the machine (L1)

Having switched on the computer (and screen) you must learn how to access a certain programme or exit a programme that you have entered by mistake.

You need to understand about the hierarchy of directories to be able to access a certain file and you should also learn how to create a new directory. At basic level you need to be able to create new documents/files, retrieve existing files from any directory. It is important to learn the difference between save and save as.

For safety reasons the user should understand why it is often good practice to save under A:\.

The user should be able to access information from directories under C:\ as well as from A:\.

You need to be familiar with the mouse and understand its different functions; left button, right button and double-clicking.

As regards the keyboard, besides elementary typewriting functions you need to know about the use of combined keyboard strokes. Some of these combinations are often shortcuts for several steps in the menu.

Choices and commands are executed/confirmed either by pressing an OK button or by pressing the return key (Enter).

• Software requirements (L2)

The software requirement in terms of disk space and internal memory varies a great deal with the type of application you are running, see below under hardware), but the general trend is that new programmes demand increasingly more space and internal memory capacity to work satisfactorily and not be too slow.

• menu system (L1)

In windows based environments menus have become standard features and the difference between the graphics interface between IBM-compatible PC's and Mac's is today so small that it can almost be ignored. A good knowledge of the use of menus is a key concept to understanding most windows-based programmes.

• how to access help files (L2)

Helpfiles can frequently replace or at least minimise the need to read thick manuals. In addition to short text instructions based on keyword search you will frequently encounter small tutorials to take you step-by-step through certain features of the programme.

• how to create and organise files and libraries - file manager (L1 - L3)

For home users it is essential to learn how to organise and structure the contents in your computer in such a way that you can easily find information that was stored there long ago. You should learn to create directories/folders. It is always good practice to separate programme files from data files so that if you should have to update or reinstall a programme none of your data files get deleted. These are always more important than the programme files which can be reinstalled.

• how to install new programmes (L3)

The normal procedure to install a new programme is to run/double click the exe-file of the programme. After a while you will be asked if you accept a suggested default directory. If you don't, for instance because this library is already occupied, you can choose to name a new directory. Several programmes create a special initiating file which is automatically placed in a default directory. If you decide to delete such a programme, you should use the uninstall function for this programme if such a facility is provided.

• cut and paste (within a programme and also from one programme to another) (L2,3)

In many applications you can cut, copy and paste information both inside and between programmes. On PC's you can use edit|cut, edit|copy and edit|paste or the shortcuts Ctrl|x (cut),Ctrl|c (copy) and Ctrl|v (paste). If you have several programmes open at the same time you can always switch between them by using Alt/Tab.

• how to run and install CD/CDROMs (L2/3)

Most new machines are equipped with CD/ROM units. You can either use it to play your music CD or run your CD/ROM. To run a CD/ROM the user needs to be familiar with the installation of certain start-up files on your harddisk.

The procedure is more or less the same as previously described. You access the unit your CD is run from - often D: - find the setup.exe or install.exe file. Run or double click this file and the programme will be installed and icons created.

Internet (L2/L3)

The user should understand the underlying reasons for the non-existing structure of this network. It was originally created for military purposes in the USA. In case of a nuclear war a safe communication system was needed. This is why there is a decentralised structure and no central base that might be destroyed by the enemy. The ingenuity of this system is the fact that it is parallel linked rather than linked in a series. A breakdown in a series linked system would knock out the whole system.

• browsers (L2)

Many educational institutes today have an Internet connection and the user can often apply for an e-mail account.

This means that the user should have a good grasp of how to use the most common Internet browsers. It is of practical value to be able to set some of the parameters in your browser like start up page and user.

• bandwidth (L3)

The home user also needs to know about different connections or bandwidths. Connections can be fixed, via modem or via ISDN.

Most modern modems today use a capacity/bandwidth of 28 800 bits/sec. To transfer video you should at least use an ISDN connection (Integrated Services Digital Network). The standard capacity is 2 x 64 000 bits/sec. Since this means of communication is digital rather than analogue no modem is needed.

National networks use bandwidths of 10 - 150 Mbits/sec.

• Internet providers (L2)

Various Internet providers have different policies about the cost for access. The subscription fees per month vary a great deal as do the number of free calls etc. To keep your telephone bills low it is important that you connect to a local provider.

• search engines (L2)

With almost unlimited sources of information, it is becoming increasingly important to learn how to search for relevant information. A basic knowledge of how to use the existing search engines is essential. In some search engines you can perform an advanced search by using so-called Boolean variables like AND OR NOT to minimise the number of hits. Internet addresses, URL's (Uniform Resource Locators) of special interest can then be stored as bookmarks in a directory structure.

• downloading and installing programmes from the Internet (L3)

You are often offered downloading possibilities from the Internet. This means that you can save files in your own computer. If you are offered to download a complete programme you should save the file in a temporary directory first. Having done so you double-click the downloaded exe.file to initiate a set-up procedure. You can now choose the directory in which you want to store the downloaded programme.

Some files that you download from the net are zipped files. This means that they are compressed to save space (and downloading time). Zipping is also used to put several files into one. In order to open such a file you need to unzip and extract. There are special programmes for this purpose.

E-mail (L2)

A fairly large part of this chapter is devoted to e-mail which is fast becoming very popular. In many institutions the knowledge of e-mail belongs to category L1. If you have an e-mail account you should know about some of the basic configurations of your mailbox like:

• System for e-mail addresses

The basic user should be informed about the importance of upper and lower case letters in e-mail addresses and should understand the system for identification which was created to work on Unix based systems.

• IP number

This number is the identification number of each computer and consequently a unique number. In configuring your machine for access to e-mail or an internet service provider you are asked to fill in this number.

• Configuration of mailbox

In order to receive and send mail you have to tell your mailbox who you are and with whom you want to communicate. You can also set parameters to customise your mails to have a certain font size, no of letters per line etc.

• Signature

This is an optional facility by which you can attach a signature (name, address,

telephone no etc. to be placed at the bottom of every mail)

• MIME

The user should know about the difference between MIME and BinHex in order to be able to receive and send Scandinavian characters like ĺ, ä and ö.

• Trash

Trash is used to delete your incoming or outgoing mail from your mailbox.

• Mailbox in/out and directories

By default, all your mails are stored in one directory. It is however possible to transfer your mails to directories of your own choice.

• How to send a message

The basics of sending a message is:

E-mail address to:

E-mail address from :

Subject line: (should not be too long)

Cc: (Carbon copy) You can send the same message to two or more addresses

Attachments: (See below)

• Attachments

This facility makes it possible to enclose a file together with your mail. Using a browser you search for the file you want to enclose and add it to your mail. Provided the person receiving your mail has the same programme in his/her computer as that in which you created the attached file, the file will look exactly as you designed it.

• how to create individual and collective aliases

If you send mail to somebody frequently or if you want to send the same mail to several people at the same time, you can use the alias/nickname facility. The e-mail addresses of one or several people can be saved under a single name of your choice.

• how to search for a name in a known server

Knowing the real name and server address of a person you can search for his/her e-mail address.

• netiquette

On the Internet there is a certain convention like saving bandwidth, using small letters instead of capital letters, read FAQ documents before submitting questions, being polite and tolerant etc.

• telnet

by using telnet you can connect to another computer anywhere in the world and use the files in this computer. This is thus a way to access your mail from another computer anywhere in the world where you find a server connected to the Internet. Telnet is also often used to access database information.

Computers in a network (L2)

The user in a network needs to know about

• login procedures and passwords

Login procedures and passwords are necessary for protection of files in a multi-user system.

• the different partitions of the harddisk such as
• home directory
• destination of programme files
• destination of datafiles

In a network you designate different volumes/areas of the harddisk different kinds of files like datafiles, programme files, start up files etc.

• access rights

The supervisor of the network gives different rights to different users. One reason for this is that you often do not want other users to be able to access your personal files. Another reason is to prevent information from being deleted by mistake

Machine Hardware (L3)

To be able to decide on what type of computer you need it is essential to have a basic knowledge of:

• Processor type

Speed and accessibility depend mainly on type of processor, internal memory

size and clock frequency (Mhz).

• Harddisk and harddisk size

New software/programme applications require more space on the harddisk and increasingly more internal memory. Different hard disks also have different access times and there is a clear correlation between access time and cost of the harddisk.

• Internal Memory

Increasing the internal memory will speed up the process of accessing applications and switching between programmes. The learner/user needs to understand that the internal memory has to be of a certain size for the user to be able to have access to several programmes at the same time.

• Graphics cards

There is a correlation between screen resolution and the size/quality of the graphics card in the computer. If your screen has a low resolution, graphics or Internet pictures will be of poor quality.

Computer vocabulary used in this text:

Chapter V

Teacher and student roles

A profile of the ideal IT teacher

The single most important factor in the process of teaching Information Technology to adults is the attitude and pedagogical insight of the teacher. Many adult learners approach a computer with a certain degree of anxiety. Nevertheless, those who have recently gone through other learning processes, in language learning for instance, do have a certain expectation that their fears will be unfounded, that they will find they are actually able to learn, that they will have a positive surprise. Unfortunately, this hope is often shattered during the first IT session. Adults may find that their first meeting with the process of acquiring familiarity with a computer confirms their fear that they are too old to learn. Why does this happen?

Until very recently, IT teachers have been recruited from among the ranks of technical engineers and not necessarily those with pedagogical training. These teachers have often been people who have never had a problem with learning to use a computer, who have used computers for so long that it has become second nature to them and who, consequently, don't remember that you actually have to TEACH beginners to push "enter" after a command. They therefore tend to explain things too quickly, forget the basic steps, take an enormous amount of knowledge and skill for granted, and even show their impatience when students are slow to understand.

The best teachers are of course those who combine high-level technological knowledge and pedagogical instinct and training. Unfortunately, they are rare. Faced with the alternative of having a very knowledgeable teacher with little pedagogical insight or a good pedagogue who does not know everything there is to know about computers, most adults will prefer the latter. The best teacher is not necessarily an expert. Some basic trouble-shooting knowledge is an advantage, but students feel more secure with a good pedagogue who will sometimes have to say "I have no idea what has happened here, let's just reset the machine" than with a computer wizard who seems to know everything and who, in the eyes of the students, might have come from another planet, so separated from their experience does he or she seem to be. On the other hand, a word of warning is relevant here: If the teacher is indeed not a technical expert, he/she should make sure that technical support is easily available. Adult learners have a low threshold of frustration at the beginning of their learning process and it is a good idea to take precautions against the well known fact (also known as Murphy's law) that "all that can go wrong does actually go wrong when you need it the most". Adult learners who meet apparently insoluble technical problems in their first lessons, will undoubtedly lose heart and may be difficult to motivate for another attempt.

Adapting to a heterogeneous group

The ideal IT-teacher knows that adult IT-learners "come in all sizes". Some of them know how to use the keyboard, others - incredible as it might seem - have never even used a typewriter. Some of them have, even though they consider themselves beginners, actually used an elementary version of a text editor and can easily assimilate the principles on which that type of software is based. Right from the beginning, the real "IT-illiterate" will feel threatened by these bright people who can actually immediately begin to write something that makes sense.

A teaching style adapted to a very heterogeneous group excludes the traditional role of the teacher as a lecturer. The structure of an IT-course for beginners must be based on a consideration of the students' needs and basic knowledge. Traditional teaching, directed by the teacher, with alternate periods of explanation and practice, is bound to be a failure because of the differences in the students' previous knowledge and ability. The teacher will have to either follow the pace of the brightest students and let the real beginners feel so frustrated they give up, or teach step-by-step, at the real beginners' pace, and let the more skilled students lose motivation because of the lack of challenge.

IT-learning must be student-centred. This is an axiom that cannot be overemphasized. Every student must be able to follow his/her own pace, working slowly enough to gain self-confidence, and not having to wait for other students once he/she has mastered a lesson. Teacher-centred activity should occur only in very brief periods of general explanation, probably only at the beginning of each session or when the teacher wants to give a word of warning about a mistake or a problem that it seems most students are fighting with.

But how then is the necessary knowledge going to be transmitted? The teacher should not be the main source of information, but a tutor who encourages, corrects, solves the problems that arise while the student is learning. The student must be given a written step-by-step easy-to-follow instruction booklet, with suggestions for practical exercises. Being thus freed from the obligation to keep informing the students of the steps they have to take, the teacher will have the time needed to assist the individual students as they work.

The teacher's challenge

The principles we have described here imply a major challenge to the conception most teachers have of themselves. They have to accept the fact that they have to stop being the persons who impart knowledge and control the activity of the class. Their role now is that of a tutor or assistant to the learning process.

The needs of non-confident adult IT-learners may also challenge the individual teacher at an emotional level. When meeting the most anxious adult learners, the teacher must be armed with an enormous patience and NEVER give the adult student an impatient response. The student's self-image can in some cases be very fragile. The teacher must base his whole activity in the class on the principle that the student's self-confidence and self-reliability must be encouraged at all costs.

The student's role: Learning by trial and error

Adult learners often need a lot of encouragement before they lose their fear of making an irreparable mistake. They should be given tasks that oblige them to learn by trying and failing. On the other hand, the teacher should make sure that they learn good routines at the very beginning of their learning process, like the importance of saving their work to file very often, and not only to the floppy disk but also to the hard disk. Having absorbed the main safety rules, the student will be able to feel more confident about making mistakes.

The attitude of the teacher is again very important here. Adult students are often less eager than young people to try the system "hands on". They will gladly let somebody more experienced than them take over when they run into difficulties. Teachers who are very familiar with IT tend to intervene too quickly when a problem arises, thus robbing the students of many valuable learning experiences. The right teacher attitude when it comes to this issue is simply "keep your hands in your pockets and let them do it themselves". Adult IT-learners tend to avoid practising their newly-acquired skills unless the teacher is in the room. Their insecurity is a powerful obstacle in the learning process. Good pedagogues have found that "teacher absenteeism" is an excellent policy to deal with this problem. Once the students have undergone the first steps in their learning process, the teacher stops hovering around them at all times. He/she will be available during practice sessions, but maybe in another room. When a problem arises, the student can go to the teacher and ask for help. If possible, the teacher will simply explain to the student how to solve the problem. Only if it cannot be solved by the student acting on the teacher's instructions, will the teacher actually get up and go to the student's computer to see what needs to be done.

Chapter VI

Course contents and structure

Written instructions and pedagogical manuals

We explained in the previous chapter how the lack of pedagogical insight among technologically trained IT-teachers has had a negative impact on the learning processes of adults. The same problem has been abundantly evident in the user manuals that have been written in the last fifteen to twenty years. Creating a pedagogically sound user manual for the software that was used fifteen years ago was admittedly a challenging task. Programmes were often far from user-friendly, lots of commands had to be committed to memory, and there was ample scope for confusion and fateful errors. The appearance of windows, frames, hypertext based help files and pull-down menus has revolutionised this picture. Many programmes are now self-instructing for a self-confident learner. But our target group here is the NON-confident learner, who needs clear, complete, step-by-step written instructions to be able to go on with the learning process. And he needs that to be able to build up his self-confidence. Many efforts have been made lately to provide this kind of learners with the manuals they need. One can nevertheless wonder whether having to identify with the target group of a book called something like "Internet for Idiots" does wonder for one's self-esteem...

Too much and too little

One of the basic problems of user manuals seems to be that they deal with too much. The other basic problem is that they explain too little. Most manuals tend to skip the basic instructions after they have been given once: how to open and close a program, how to save a file, how to select a function, etc. Adult learners who have only recently learnt the basic principles of a Windows-based program, will need to be reminded of these basic facts again and again until the knowledge becomes a skill. Simple things can block a non-confident adult learner's progress. How many manuals for WWW-browsers mention the fact that you have to give an "enter"-command after writing a new URL on the search-window? The fact that pushing "enter" is the standard confirmation routine may be obvious and second-nature for the experienced Web surfer, but should not be taken for granted when dealing with adult beginners.

On the other hand, experiences based on behavioural theories show the value of pressing the student to remember what he/she has learnt. The adult student does need very exhaustive instructions at the beginning of the learning process. But the learning process will be hindered if he gets used to having these instructions as "crutches" all along the way. After the initial learning steps have been taken, instructions should gradually "fade". If the student gets confused and asks the teacher for instructions about processes he already has learned, the teacher should ask back or use a "multiple-choice approach", instead of giving the right answer immediately: "What menu do you think you have to use now? Should you give this command or that one? What do you think is the right step to take now? Try to remember."

Most manuals tend to try to teach the learner twice as many functions as he/she needs to begin with. Let's take a text editor as an example. Most IT-teachers will look down on users for whom a text editor is little more than a glorified typewriter. They will argue that a user who only knows how to type a text, delete, save the file and print it, could just as well be using a typewriter, but they overlook the fact that many adults need a long period of this kind of activity, simply to learn how to use the keyboard!

Take a look at the first pages of any elementary manual for a text editor. It probably starts with an overview and explanation of the function of ALL the buttons that appear on the screen and of ALL the pull-down menus and the functions they include. To a very analytical mind this seems a very logical starting point: get familiar with the environment and the tools. To the insecure adult learner, this is simply a daunting scenario. He/she would much rather be told: "At the top of the screen you will find all these buttons. You can forget most of them for the time being. Click on number one from the left. Now you can start writing."

The best instruction manual, though, is probably the one the student can write himself. The teacher should encourage the students to right their own "customized instructions", to remind themselves of the steps to take in a process they have already understood and have begun to learn.

Learning through practical exercises

Adults, much more than young people, need to see the practical use of what they are learning to get motivated for the effort learning involves. IT-teaching/learning should never be theoretical, but be based on concrete, meaningful tasks. As the student progresses in the learning process, the tasks will involve the use of more and more sophisticated tools in the software they are meant to master. Tasks should be of a practical nature, like writing a commercial letter or preparing the lay-out for a report, and they should be based on a variety of themes, to provide each student with one that is meaningful to him/her. Practical tasks should come in a variety of styles, so that the student can choose the ones he/she feels most comfortable with. A challenge to individual creativity can be a powerful motivator for some students while adding to the anxiety of others.

The level of difficulty of the tasks is an important consideration. Students should be able to feel they master the tasks presented before going on to new ones. A slow progression should be presented. Students who grasp the point of the task very quickly, will probably be able to skip some of the tasks, while others will benefit from taking each and every one of them.

The teacher's ingenuity is challenged when he/she has to try to find practical tasks that will appeal to many different types of students. One way of solving this problem is to use the resources present in the students themselves. They can be encouraged to suggest meaningful uses of the software they are learning to master. Letting the students start working with a task related to a subject the teacher doesn't master himself can actually supply an added bonus: being reminded of the fact that they do know more than the teacher does about many themes not related to IT, may be a welcome boost to the students' self-confidence.

The time factor

Non-confident adult learners will often need some time to master one set of skills before going on to the next step. Repetition is an important factor in the learning process. Most adults are well aware of the fact that they don't retain new knowledge as easily as they used to. They know that they may have forgotten all they have learnt in the day's session by the following day. Repeating one lesson several times during the same session, is not enough. The student will only start to believe that he/she has learnt the new lesson if he remembers it after a few days.

Concentrating in the acquisition of new skills can be a tiresome process for the adult learner. No matter how many breaks the teacher introduces into the course structure, concentration is bound to go down after a few hours. This means that a course structure based on a couple of hours twice or three times a week is much more efficient than a long weekend course. And yet this is the structure that most IT-courses for adults have traditionally had!

Long sessions with no practice in between can prove useless. Ideally, students should be able to practice their newly acquired skills in an environment that provides them with the necessary support, from their fellow students for instance. Not all students can count with this kind of environment, but all of them should have the possibility to use, in between learning sessions, the software they are learning to master. The most efficient learning occurs when students are learning to use a software they really NEED to use in the course of their normal activities.

Project learning

If at all possible, the teacher should encourage the students to practise the skills they are learning by working jointly on a project - preparing a newspaper together, for example - that involves every member of the group in different IT-related tasks, adapted to their interests and fields of expertise (communicative skills, creativity, language knowledge, statistical knowledge, etc.)

Working as a project team, where each individual can contribute with his or her own special strength or ability, can also help bridge the gap between the male and female attitude towards IT. It has been statistically proved that in most European countries there is a significant difference between the sexes when it comes to familiarity with IT. The use of computer communication - especially through e-mail - seems to be a very efficient way of introducing the female population to IT. Generally speaking, women tend to master communicative skills better than men. They can easily see the point of being able to communicate asynchronically with people from all over the globe with whom they share interests and/or areas of work. Getting them motivated to learn how to present statistics in a document might be a bit more difficult, but they will if only it relates to their daily activity.

Chapter VII

Conclusions

Suggestions for Europe?

We are in no position to give people in other European countries advice on how to run their IT education. In the Nordic countries we do have a few years of experience in teaching the use of computers to adults, and the investment in hardware for the purpose of running courses may have come a few years earlier than in certain other countries. But this does not mean that our experience will be valid in other countries. This little report should in other words be read critically and digested with at least one pinch of salt.

Don't wait!

In spite of what has been said above, there are a few things that we feel entitled to suggest. And our main piece of advice would be: Don't wait!

The world of information technology is changing rapidly, and many people think that the threshold to coping with the technology will be much lower in the future. It might therefore be a tempting notion to let those who are not particularly interested in IT wait until a time in the future when the userfriendliness of the systems has been increased. We don't think this is a viable alternative. If we, in the European countries, want to be competitive, we can't wait. The relevant technology is not more complicated in other parts of the world. Whether or not the actual use of IT turns out to be fairly different in a few years' time, there will still be the need of getting used to the technology. And, as we indicated earlier, the psychological effect of becoming included in the "brotherhood" of those who know the ropes, should not be underestimated. If we accept that there is still in many people a creative human potential that has not thus far been released, we can't postpone the effort to release it - by all means, including also the IT channel - for the development of its human capital may be Europe's one and only competitive advantage in the years to come.

Pedagogy - not technical expertise

As the people we are basically relating to in this report, are people who do not have easy access to IT and who do not immediately see it as an inspiring challenge, we have to pay particular attention to the phase between non-use and use of the technology. Creating the right sort of non-threatening atmosphere is vital. In the very beginning one may have to spend more time on creating this atmosphere than on the actual hardware and software. For this purpose we think that a certain sensitivity and a certain knowledge of pedagogy is of primary importance. It is therefore our view that IT teachers should have pedagogical training, and they do not necessarily have to be computer experts. It is much better to have a teacher with a sound pedagogical background to do the face-to-face job, provided that this teacher has the necessary technical assistance within relatively easy reach. We therefore venture the following recommendation:

More priority should be given to the use of pedagogically educated personnel in IT education rather than of computer experts.

IT and marginalization

Our main warning is against the marginalization that the lack of knowledge of the IT area may contribute to. We are by no means saying that lack of knowledge of IT will lead to marginalization. But together with other factors, like unemployment or social disadvantages, it may be an element that adds to the signals that the person doesn't really "belong in our society". The implications may be dramatic in the long run, not just because of the lack of social responsibility on the part of those who remain marginalized. A conflict tends to arise in society in this kind of situations between those who feel they pay too much tax money to support the marginalized groups and the that the money is used on.

If IT has a potential to divide people into categories today, this potential will probably only increase in the future. This will particularly be the case as IT becomes increasingly important in connection with lifelong education and retraining. Although learning will probably find place in social groups also in the future, information technology will certainly become a more important element in all kinds of education. Not only will computer mediated communication become more important in distance education, but the use of multimedia learning packages will become an important element both in classrooms and for individual studies. As continual learning becomes more and more important both in connection with keeping up one's qualifications for a job and in connection with learning for one's own satisfaction, we would like to advocate efforts to include the largest possible number of people in learning through the use of IT. We make this suggestion in the spirit of the democratic participation that is also a founding principle in the European Year of Lifelong Learning.

Partner institutions and personnel

Majornas Vuxengymnasium is a Community School for Adults with courses within the range of the whole compulsory and non-compulsory system up to university level. At upper secondary level Majorna has courses in Humanities, Languages, Social Science, Natural Science, Child Care, Leisure time, Nursing and Swedish as a second language.

Recently Majornas has become involved in several projects under the European Commission. In one of these Majornas Vuxengymnasium is the coordinator of a project with partners from six countries.

Majorna has about 190 employees and over 4000 students.

Boo Hever is a teacher of English and German at Majornas Vuxengymnasium. In recent years he has been involved in several projects aiming at enhancing the IT awareness of colleagues at Majorna and other adult education centres under the parent organisation (Utbildningsförvaltningen). He has been responsible for the design and implementation of computer-based diagnostic and other tests. He has also taken a special interest in distance education, developed a student survey system and is the editor of the Distance Education homepage in Göteborg.

The Norwegian State Centre for Adult Education (SRV), Oslo, is the largest adult education centre in Norway, with more than 2000 students and a staff of close to 100 teachers. Its objective is to provide upper secondary education for adults, both in standard programmes and curricula and in specially customized courses for groups with specific needs. In addition the centre organizes a number of courses for public institutions and private companies. Through its Department of Research and Development, SRV is involved in a number of national and international projects, mainly in the fields of androgogy, learning disabilities, the teaching of immigrants and the pedagogic use of ICT.

SRVs homepage: http://www.statvoks.no

Graciela Nielsen directs the Department of Research & Development at SRV since Aug. 95. Originally a language teacher, her main interest for many years has been centred on the use of the new communication technologies as tools and vehicles for language teaching. She is currently the European coordinator in a EU project, SIMULAB, concerned with the use of WWW-based intercultural simulations for language learning.

The University of Akureyri (Háskólinn á Akureyri) is a young and an ambitious institution, enjoying rapid growth and development. With the dual objective of serving as a scientific and scholarly institution, the university was founded in September 1987 with the establishment of faculties in nursing and industrial management. It now offers continuing education programmes as well as education in the following four faculties:

Education, Fisheries Studies, Health Sciences and Management Studies.

Further information at: http://www.unak.is

Lára Stefánsdóttir has been involved in various projects on IT in Education for a decade specially in Internet. She was one of the founders of The Icelandic Educational Network at 1992 which connected over 90% of Icelandic schools to Internet that year.

Currently Lara is studying and involved in various projects and groups for various educational institutions in Iceland and abroad. She has a working contract with the University of Akureyri on distance education.

Further information: http://rvik.ismennt.is/~lara

The Nordic Folk Academy is a course centre and a development centre for adult education in the Nordic countries. Its primary function is to advance the co-operation between the adult education environments in the Nordic countries. The four national lecturers, coming from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, and the administrative staff run a series of courses and work as project co-ordinators on Nordic and European projects. The institution has close links with the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Jan Sřrlie is at present the Norwegian lecturer at the Nordic Folk Academy. In this function he has become involved in fields like IT and dyslexia, intercultural communication, the development and use of counselling exercises, and ethnic minorities in the Nordic countries. He has previously been a language teacher for adults since 1980 and he has used computer software in English and French classes since the early 90s.

© Lára Stefánsdóttir Öll réttindi áskilin varđandi efni sem ég skrifa á ţessari síđu og undirsíđum.
Pósthólf 472, 602 Akureyri. Sími: 896-3357 (einnig talhólf). lara@ismennt.is/ lastef@ma.is