Learning How to Use Computers: The Role of Cognitive Abilities Jason C. Allaire Department of Psychology North Carolina State University

Individual Factors that Influence Learning to Use Computers Interest Attitudes towards technology Familiarity of computers Knowing what computers can do Understanding the breadth of information that is available on the web COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

What is Cognitive Functioning? Mental processes and abilities that help us understand our surroundings and function in our environment Cognitive abilities are used when solving problems Cognitive abilities are used when we LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Cognition Across the Life Span Knowledge Abilities Fluid Abilities Performance 25 70 Age

Not Everyone Ages the Same Performance 50 70

Fluid Abilities--Memory Working Memory – remembering new information and doing something with that information Our working memory becomes less and less efficient as we get older Less information can be kept in Working Memory

Example of Working Memory Learning How to Save To save the word document that you are working on your mouse to “File” click the scroll down to “Save” and click on it. If you have not save the document before you will have to name it. A box will appear and you will be able to name it.

Lots of things to remember while having to do it To save the word document that you are working on move your mouse to “File” click the scroll down to “Save” and click on it. If you have not saved the document before you will have to name it. A box will appear and you will be able to name it.

Fluid Abilities--Memory Long-term Memory—retention of learned information over a long period of time (days, weeks) Our ability to recall information that we recently learned decreases as we get older

Example Long-Term Memory In Tuesday’s class you taught your students how to save a word document The following week you teach your class the basics of EXCEL You ask them to save their spreadsheet. You assume they remember how to save? You assume they realize that saving in EXCEL is the same as saving in WORD?

Fluid Abilities—Visual Search Visual Search—the ability to find a specific target in a visually display It is tougher for elders to find a target quickly or at all Distracted by other images on the screen They don’t search the visual field effectively Might have poorer vision

Please click on “My Computer”

Please Start your “Paint” Program

The Good News Knowledge Abilities Fluid Abilities 25 70 Age Performance 25 70 Age

Knowledge Abilities Knowledge abilities—the information that we acquire through involvement in our culture Knowledge includes: Information we learned in school Information about our jobs Information about ourselves Information about our interests We don’t lose Knowledge as we age

Putting Knowledge to Work We learn new information faster if it is related to things we already know We can “hook” new information to old information Older adults learn new information faster and retain it longer if it is related to something they already know

Compensation Older adults are MASTERS at developing skills to compensate for certain declines They know to go slower and try to process information more deeply They tend to use preexisting knowledge to remember new information When taught to use strategies to improve memory these use them better than young folks

Relevancy and Motivation On tasks that older adults consider relevant to their lives they: They are extremely motivated to learn new material They often perform as well as younger adults The goal then is to make sure older adults understand how computer use can be relevant in their lives

So What does the Research Say About All This? Not very much Studies have not specifically examined which cognitive abilities are associated with learning how to use computers

Potential Benefits Tailor the training to decrease the impact of cognitive functioning on learning how to use computers

Potential Benefits Individualized training protocols based on a specific profile of strengths and weaknesses

Potential Benefits Improve cognitive functioning through practicing cognitively challenging computer tasks