Abstract
This study mainly employed three levels of the Kirkpatrick Model—reaction, learning, and behavior—to investigate and analyze the satisfaction level of senior citizens after they participated in courses on mobile devices developed in this study. Familiarization with and application of mobile devices can make senior citizens’ lives more convenient and enable them to overcome the digital divide in the society. This study recruited 39 elderly persons aged 55 years and higher from Da'an District, Taipei City, Taiwan, in 2017. These individuals participated in eight sessions of courses on mobile device, and each session lasted for 120 min. The content of the courses mainly included the device function (photography and Internet browsing) and apps useful in everyday life (i.e. LINE and audio/video editing). This study used the one-group posttest-only design, and research tools included a homogenous trainee interview form, a trainer’s observation record form, and the Kirkpatrick Assessment form for quantitative analysis. The assessment form comprised 33 items, and participants scored their satisfaction level using a 5-point Likert scale. A high score represents a high satisfaction level. The data are expressed as mean and standard deviation and were analyzed to investigate the satisfaction level of senior citizens across the three levels of reaction, learning, and behavior after they participated in the courses. The results showed that senior citizens’ satisfaction levels across the three levels were all higher than 4.0. In addition, the mean of the highest satisfaction level was 4.89. This finding indicated that senior citizens provided favorable quantitative assessments and a positive overall rating for the courses. Moreover, the records of interviews with the trainees clearly showed that the courses not only unleashed participants’ potential but also enabled their practical and rapid information learning. Thus, even when technology is rapidly developing, the concept of lifelong learning does not change. Learning and accepting new technology not only broaden the existing knowledge of senior citizens but also improve their self-worth and adds to the joys of their life.
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to develop and design a mobile device course for senior citizens, and the results after course implementation were evaluated by employing the Kirkpatrick Model proposed by scholar Donald L Kirkpatrick in 1959.
According to the most recent statistics of the Department of Statistics of the Ministry of the Interior, the youth population (<14 years) accounted for approximately 13.31% of Taiwan’s total population at the end of February 2017, and senior citizens aged over 65 years accounted for approximately 13.33%. 1 This was the first time in Taiwan’s history that the population of senior citizens had exceeded the youth population. In reality, Taiwan became an ageing society, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1993. In a report of Taiwan population projections, the National Development Council indicated that according to data estimations, Taiwan would become an aged society in 2018, denoting that the senior population would account for more than 14% of the total population. 2 The council also projected that Taiwan may become a super-aged society by 2025, denoting that the senior population may reach 20% by that time. In the near future, the speed of ageing in Taiwan is projected to exceed that in developed countries such as European countries, the United States, and Japan.
Although an ageing society may generate social problems, education and learning can provide guidance and help the society manage and overcome such problems. 3 Thus, education for senior citizens is a critical topic in response to an ageing society. Studies have found that senior citizens without plans after retirement and who rarely participate in social activities have a higher morbidity rate. By contrast, senior citizens with retirement plans and who serve as volunteers in their spare time more often enroll in community courses suited to their own interests and know how to maintain their physical and mental health and happiness. Compared with senior citizens without plans after retirement, those with plans generally have a longer life span. 4 The benefits of education for senior citizens are not only the reduction of social isolation for these citizens but also encouragement for them to participate in society and improve their physical and mental health. 5
As mentioned, this study examined satisfaction levels and opinions regarding education for senior citizens after such citizens had participated in a mobile device course. Subsequently, this study proposed recommendations for the teaching and design of courses for senior citizens with a view to assisting such citizens in overcoming the digital divide and enhancing their learning confidence, thereby helping them to learn happily and age healthily. Therefore, the following questions guided this study: (1) What are the satisfaction levels and opinions of senior citizens from Da’an District, Taipei City, in relation to their reactions, learning, and behaviors after participation in a mobile device course? (2) What were the senior citizens’ learning outcomes?
Literature
Education for senior citizens
Shoemaker indicated that everyone defines old age differently, and many terms are used to refer to senior citizens. 6 The term “lè líng” (“happy age”) originated in Singapore, where senior citizens began to be called the “lè líng group” to encourage them to “learn happily and forget their age.” 7 In recent years, Taiwan has been committed to promoting policies and activities related to education for senior citizens. Therefore, the term “lè líng” has become a general term for promoting senior education in Taiwan and a mark of promoting policies relevant to senior education. 8 In addition, the pronunciation of “lè líng” is approximately homophonic with that of the English word “learning”; this encourages senior citizens in Taiwan to carry the spirit of lifelong learning into old age.
Faced with a continuously increasing global senior population, one of the most key policy considerations in many countries is enhancement of quality of life for senior citizens. Countries worldwide have noticed the influence of ageing on society; similar to the economic, welfare-related, and medical aspects of life, the learning rights of senior citizens should not be overlooked in the field of education. 8 In 2002, the WHO proposed the concept of “active ageing.” In response to this concept, advanced countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and South Korea established several institutions to plan for senior education and encourage senior citizens to engage in lifelong learning. Because ageing is a process that most must experience, people must learn how to render the ageing process more comfortable and pleasant.9,10 To encourage learning motivation in senior citizens and improve their physical and mental health, the Ministry of Education of Taiwan has been promoting senior education since 2008, working together with schools of all levels, institutions, and nongovernmental organizations to build “senior citizen learning centers” in all townships and cities. Additionally, in conjunction with a community building project, recreational activities for senior citizens have been held and daycare centers have been established in communities in multiple townships to provide senior citizens with spaces to engage in recreational activities. Moreover, several community colleges offering specialized senior learning courses have been established. According to survey data, 106 universities had been offering programs specially designed for senior citizens by the end of 2016, and this number has since continued to increase annually, thereby providing senior citizens with more opportunities and channels to benefit from rich educational resources. Senior education and lifelong learning institutions also include senior citizen learning centers and digital learning centers in counties and cities, as well as the National Open University, 11 all of which have initiated diverse channels for lifelong learning with senior citizens as the primary target group for courses.
In addition to active ageing, successful ageing is another indicator of the health of senior citizens that consists of physical, mental, and social dimensions. First proposed by Rowe and Kahn, 12 successful ageing must achieve the following three objectives: (1) Decrease the probability of disease and reduce the risk of disability to maintain favorable health; (2) Maintain optimism without depression, as well as normal cognitive function; and (3) Engagement in healthy social activities and interpersonal relationships to maintain the body and mind at their optimal status. Briefly, “successful ageing” refers to good physical and mental health and life enjoyment. 13 Sloane-Seale and Kops 5 investigated successful ageing among senior citizens and observed that continuous learning was a critical factor in achieving successful ageing. That study employed three sets of experimental and control groups, comprising students at senior learning centers in three cities in Canada and local senior citizens who did not participate in senior education courses. The types of educational activities that the participants engaged in, their late-life learning situations, and their characteristics of successful ageing were recorded; the results revealed that because senior citizens who participated in educational activities had a comprehensive understanding of successful ageing, they were active in their participation in such activities. These participants were full of spirit and vitality, were healthier, understood life planning, had positive subjective consciousness, were concerned with personal renewal and development, were actively connected with their community neighbors, and understood how to set new life goals. All these aspects are evidence of successful ageing. 14
Regarding planning of senior education curricula, Chen and Wei 15 indicated that senior education should systematically instruct senior citizens regarding basic life skills that they should possess or learn. Furthermore, such planning should consider the “self-realization/transcendence” of senior citizens. 16 Instructors should employ incremental or other teaching methods to assist students and gradually guide them through learning to enable them to achieve their goals and satisfy their needs through actual practice, thereby enhancing their learning abilities and improving their literacy regarding quality of life. Chiu interviewed the organizers at a learning center, the purpose of which is to foster the concept of successful ageing among senior citizens and cultivate a friendly environment without age discrimination. 17 That center also aims to provide senior citizens with an environment for lifelong learning to satisfy the requirement of re-education. 18 Liou 19 investigated the current implementation of a New Taipei City senior citizen learning center and suggested that the venue for courses should be used as a venue for recreational activities for senior citizens to increase convenience in terms of mobility. Senior courses should create a comfortable and friendly space for senior citizen activities and education. In addition, teaching facilities must meet the needs of basic life, characteristic interests, and contributing influences, and facilitate a variety of dynamic and static learning activities. Therefore, the present study referred to these suggestions as a reference for venue selection.
Needs of the senior citizen population
At the White House Conference on Aging, the American gerontologist Howard McClusky proposed a margin theory of needs and asserted that the learning needs of senior citizens could be divided into five types, and that through the realization of the self-needs of senior citizens, the key to successful ageing could be achieved.20–22 The five types of needs of senior learners are described as follows:
Coping need: a need to meet the demands of skills in everyday life. Many senior citizens have difficulty moving with ease because of the ageing of physiological organs and decline in mental cognitive function. Moreover, because of reductions in the number of interpersonal relationships and frequency of social interaction, senior citizens have difficulty adapting to a rapidly changing society. Courses are developed based on these difficulties, and relevant curricula are derived. Expressive need: obtaining a sense of joy, accomplishment, and community through participation in social activities or physical education courses. This type of internal feedback generates physical and mental satisfaction; therefore, senior citizens participate in physical education and social activities not for purposes such as seeking employment, attending school, and personal development but rather to learn simply for the sake of learning and fostering their interests. Contributive need: Senior citizens receive positive feedback that increases their self-worth through activities that assist or serve others and satisfy the sense of being needed by others. Activities that serve this purpose include serving as a public interest group volunteer, volunteer traffic warden, or volunteer firefighter. Influential need: Many people hope that their personal experiences can positively influence society and serve as a reference for evaluating social and public issues. Therefore, some senior citizens are willing to provide unique insights that can positively influence public affairs or social issues through participation in political activities, community groups, service organizations, and quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations. Transcendental need: Each person deeply explores his or her definition of life through the recollection of past life trajectories and seeks to determine the value of life from such recollection. Because senior citizens are generally closer to the end of life than are individuals from other age groups, they have deeper realizations of the meaning of life and are better able to calmly accept and face the approach of the end of life. Therefore, curriculum design for senior citizens should include much content on life topics and health care.
A summary of the learning needs mentioned in McClusky’s theory revealed that to satisfy individual expectations and achieve goals, phased tasks must be developed; that is, specific goals for learning must be established and educational means must be employed to meet expectations and learning needs through participation in activities and courses.
Based on the Ministry of Education’s senior citizen network bulletin on courses offered in various districts of Taipei City, the researchers organized course highlights provided by 12 senior citizen institutions in the study area of Taipei City (Table 1) and found that these plans did not depart from the needs proposed by McClusky.
Taipei City Senior Citizen Center Course Descriptions.
Source: reproduced with permission from Ministry of Education Senior Citizen Learning Network,23 organized by the researchers.
None of the numerous course topics listed in Table 1 depart from the scope of the aforementioned five types of needs; the key to senior citizen education is to respond to these needs. In response to policy promotion, the highest proportion of classes is in the category of health care, including life safety and exercise and care. These courses echo coping and transcendental needs; the second most major category of offered courses is arts performance; the richness and diversity of this category satisfies expressive needs.
The lowest proportion of courses is in the technology category; although technology courses have been considerably popular among senior citizens in recent years, the supply of such courses does not meet the demand. According to statistics from United Daily News regarding increasing numbers of senior citizens in consumer electronics courses in multiple regions of Taiwan, approximately 200,000 senior citizens participated in senior learning courses in Taipei in 2014. By 2015, this number had increased to approximately 320,000. Numbers of senior citizen learners in other regions have also exhibited substantial increases; the aforementioned United Daily News article also indicated that in many cases, as soon as a consumer electronics course was made open for registration, the class rapidly filled. 24 Thus, senior citizens appear to be highly interested in participating in technology courses. In addition, experts have suggested that regional centers should actively train course instructors to respond to learners’ needs; at the same time, in recent years, senior citizen learning centers have run an increasing number of courses related to application software teaching, as well as computer courses focusing on the tablet computer and smartphone use. However, the use of the Internet may lead to anxiety-inducing situations for some senior citizens, who thus may perceive technological learning to be too difficult and shy away from it. 25 Because the present study’s research team had a professional background in technology education, the establishment of technology courses was a priority for curriculum design. To enable senior learners to learn more happily and reduce their anxiety, mobile devices commonly used in everyday life (smartphones and tablets) were selected as media to guide students in learning basic introductory functions and applications commonly used on such devices in everyday life, such as LINE, Facebook, and MomentCam. Using a variety of applications can activate brain utilization and finger movements among learners to decelerate the deterioration of their physical functions.
Kirkpatrick Model
Evaluation is an indispensable aspect in the planning of adult education curricula to assess whether activity design, curriculum design, and implementation are effective and whether all established objectives have been achieved, as well as for organizing critical messages received from trainees as evidence for revision of training courses. 26 Of all related evaluation models, the Kirkpatrick Model proposed by Kirkpatrick in 1959 is the most well-known. In 1994, the content of this model was updated to render its evaluation concepts more comprehensive and complete; some consider this model the most widely used training evaluation model.27,28 Furthermore, one study indicated that two of the key factors for the success of technology courses for senior citizens and product development are understanding of learners’ needs in advance and subsequent evaluation of their usage behaviors. 29
The Kirkpatrick Model consists of the reaction level, learning level, behavior level, and results level, and thus its full name is the Kirkpatrick Four-Level Evaluation Model. As shown in Figure 1, the evaluation results of each level affects that of the next level.
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The following presents definitions for the four levels.
Reaction level: A survey of satisfaction levels among trainee students toward the training course, including content, instructional materials, equipment, instructors, and administrative support. In this study, questionnaires were distributed after the course to collect reactions from trainee students toward the course, including reactions to instructor training skills, curriculum content design, teaching material selection, content quality, and curriculum organization. Evaluation results from this level can serve as a reference for improving course content, course design, and teaching schedules, and can provide suggestions for modifications. However, they cannot serve as overall evaluation results; overall evaluation must integrate all four levels for analysis Learning level: This level primarily determines whether students have improved their knowledge, skills, and attitudes after the course. It also measures students’ understanding of specific knowledge, attitudes, and skills, as well as the level of absorption of material, and thus evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of the course. Kirkpatrick defined the following three foundations for the measurement of learning success: changes in students’ attitudes, improvement in their knowledge, and enhancement of their skills.
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Some courses achieve all three of these functions, for which several evaluation methods are available. Assessment of this level provides direct proof of whether training results are significant. Generally, questionnaires, self-evaluations, and observations can serve as evaluation methods; however, these procedures are relatively complex and time consuming. Nevertheless, after completion, these procedures can facilitate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of a course and provide a basis for future revisions to said course, thereby enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the curriculum. Behavior level: This level primarily determines the degree of improvement in the behaviors of trainee students after they have undergone a training course.
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To give students sufficient time to internalize the knowledge and skills that they have learned during a course, this stage of evaluation is usually conducted 6 months to 1 year after completion of said course. Data can be obtained by conducting formal evaluations of students or through non-formal methods such as observations. A training course’s objective is only truly achieved when the course participants actually apply what they have learned to their work or lives; the focus is on the level of application. Notably, Kirkpatrick indicated that the reaction and learning levels cannot be omitted in favor of the behavior level because positive correlation exists between levels. Results level: In the evaluation of this stage, it is not the trainees’ own absorption of course content that is examined; rather, an internal investigation on the firm or organization is conducted to understand the benefits of the training course in question for the firm or organization, which may be economical or mental,
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such as production efficiency increasing and expenditure and customer complaints decreasing. Although the evaluation in this level is the most cost and time consuming, its implications for firms are critical. Several evaluation methods are available, such as questionnaires, before and after comparisons, observation, average comparisons, and actual comparisons. Because the results level evaluation is susceptible to influence from other unpredictable factors, a substantial period of time is required for observation, and this adds further difficulty to executing the evaluation. In addition, frequent questioning of the reliability and validity of evaluation results has resulted in less-frequent evaluation at this level.
Framework diagram of the Kirkpatrick Model; source: modified from Lee. 27
The Kirkpatrick Model has been widely applied to understand the effectiveness of training among trainees after the course in question has been completed. For instance, examined the evaluation of educational training for professionals in clothing production and employed the Kirkpatrick Model to investigate the outcomes after clothing production students had participated in educational training. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the interrelationships between the reaction, learning, and behavior levels of the Kirkpatrick Model. The results of that study revealed that after training, the students demonstrated positive changes for course satisfaction (reaction level), professional learning (learning level), and behavioral changes (behavior level), and that professional learning (learning level) mediated the relationship between course satisfaction (reaction level) and behavioral changes (behavior level). 32
Most recent studies that have used the Kirkpatrick Model have affirmed the effectiveness of senior learning. Hsiao employed the Kirkpatrick Model to study retirement preparation education programs for senior learners from a variety of backgrounds and evaluated the subsequent effectiveness of the reaction level and learning level. 33 The effectiveness of the behavior level and results level were also examined after participation in a retirement preparation education program. The conclusion of that study revealed that learning satisfaction as evaluated at the reaction level was favorable and that middle-aged and senior participants benefited from their acquired knowledge and skills, conscientization, and composition of action plans. After evaluation at the behavior level, it was found that more than 70% of participants had continued to develop action plans, and in the final results level evaluation, senior learners who had continued to engage in action plans exhibited the ability to change and grow in their environments and lives. Lin employed the Kirkpatrick Model to evaluate students who had undergone senior education at the Gangshan District senior citizen adult education program. The results revealed that after a comparison among senior citizens in a group who had participated in learning courses and those who had not, education had a marked effect on life satisfaction, social adaptability, and the behavior level. 34
Wei et al. 23 evaluated the effectiveness of training for senior citizen educators in program planning ability. The results revealed that students were satisfied with all aspects of training and exhibited the greatest satisfaction with instructors; instructor quality had an exceedingly high correlation with course satisfaction (reaction level). To summarize the aforementioned related research, senior education is a crucial part of lifelong learning and planning. Learning can render senior life more colorful and dynamic. It is only by implementing lifelong learning and learning into old age that people can respond to the ever-changing challenges of society. Because senior learning is of such high importance, the planning of senior courses cannot be careless. Curriculum planning is critical, and it must be verified through an evaluation model to determine whether the indicators of the curriculum have achieved their objectives. A curriculum must stand the test of evaluation to be considered beneficial, and the Kirkpatrick Model is a tool for such evaluation. Because most of the senior citizens who participated in the present study have since retired, only the reaction level, learning level, and behavior level were evaluated.
Research method
The present study was a case study that employed a one-group posttest design and conducted a literature review to plan and design a mobile device course suited to senior citizens. The study participants were 39 senior citizens aged 55 years and older from Da’an District, Taipei City. After the participants had completed said mobile device course, they filled out the Kirkpatrick evaluation scale.
Planning of the study course
The present study used learner analysis to understand the following: (1) background information of learners; (2) experiences of learners in media usage; (3) prior related knowledge and course entry competency; (4) learning intentions; (5) unique characteristics of learners. After gaining the understanding of the aforementioned five items, the content and difficulty of digital teaching materials could be accurately assessed.
The analysis results were used to plan teaching units, set learning goals, and establish teaching theories and strategies. To effectively achieve learning outcomes and meet the learning needs of senior citizens, the present study employed the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model to conduct curriculum planning and develop an eight-week course with sessions of approximately 2 h each. To ensure that the curriculum design was relevant and in line with learners’ needs, two senior education experts were invited to provide guidance and suggest revisions for the curriculum design. Based on learning needs and expert recommendations, eight weekly course sessions were designed. The course content is detailed in Table 2.
The Content of Da’an District Senior Citizen Smartphone and Tablet Applications Course.
The course was interactive and employed the learning method of cognitive apprenticeship. In addition to an instructor (see Table 3), each group had a teaching assistant. Through cooperation with the teaching assistants and instructors, the senior citizens became more receptive to learning and learned more efficiently; the teaching assistants were indispensable.
The lecturer information.
Study participants
The study participants were 39 senior citizens aged 55 years and older, living in Da’an District, Taipei City. After the students had completed the teaching activities, they filled out the Kirkpatrick scale for satisfaction analysis. Because the present study employed purposeful sampling, the results are not generalizable to individuals in other age groups and regions.
Research tools
The questionnaire used in the present study primarily referenced the Kirkpatrick evaluation scale edited by Shih. 32 It was divided into three dimensions: the reaction level (course satisfaction), learning level (learning practical skills), and behavior level (behavioral changes). The questionnaire employed the reliability coefficient Cronbach’s α to determine the degree of internal consistency. The questionnaire had three estimates of reliability, and Cronbach’s α was greater than 0.7 for each dimension. Table 4 presents the reliability of the factors from each level. The degree of confidence (α) for each factor ranged from 0.88 to 0.93, which are all higher than the acceptable value of 0.7; hence, this questionnaire was determined to have high reliability and internal consistency. The final questionnaire was a compilation of items modified on the basis of the three levels of the Kirkpatrick model, namely reaction, learning, and behavioral change reviewed in the Literature Review, as well as items from the questionnaire designed by Shih 32 with Cronbach α values higher than 0.7.
Reliability of questionnaire items for each level evaluated on the basis of Shih.32
Source: reproduced with permission from Shih.32
Finally, a 5-point Likert scale was used to measure each question item. Scores of 1 to 5 points represented “highly disagree,” “disagree,” “neutral,” “agree,” and “highly agree.” To ensure objectivity in the present study, interviews were conducted with the students to assist with the presentation of evidence of quantitative data and verify the learning effectiveness of the mobile device course at each level.
Questionnaire data collection was conducted in accordance with the standard operating procedure of the study. Before the participants began to answer the questionnaire, the examiner clearly explained each questionnaire item, answered questions raised by the participants regarding the questionnaire items, and ensured that all participants understood the questionnaire. Moreover, the participants were provided with sufficient time to complete the questionnaire, and they were not guided or rushed in completing the questionnaire. These measures were taken to maintain the objectivity of the questionnaire data.
All interviews underwent audio recording and were transcribed verbatim to facilitate data analysis. The data were coded and replaced with three- to four-digit codes. For the content of the structured interviews with senior citizens (students), the letter “S” with numeric codes were used to represent student codes; category numbers; and the year, month, and day (separated by slashes). For instance, in a verbatim script of an interview with senior citizen Lo (S1) conducted on January 1, 2017, for the content of the third to fifth lines on page 1, the serial code was S1; 2017/1/1; P1; 3–5.
Research limitations
The study participants were older adults aged 55 years and more from Da’an District of Taipei City. They were recruited using Purposive sampling. Therefore, the results may not be applicable to individuals in other age groups or those from other regions. In addition, education for older adults involves an extensive variety of topics, but this study focused on technology application, with the course involving the operation of mobile phones and tablets. Therefore, the results cannot be extended to courses involving other teaching materials or teaching the operation of other mobile devices. Furthermore, the course was designed to teach mobile device operation for senior citizens at the beginner level; hence, the results may not be applicable to courses of other levels or participants of other age groups.
Concerning the limitations of the research method, this study used the reaction, learning, and behavior levels in the Kirkpatrick model as the evaluation basis of the mobile device operation course. Because the analysis of results requires long-term observation and must be conducted for some time after the end of an experiment, which conflicted with the schedule of the current study, only the three aforementioned levels of the Kirkpatrick model were considered, whereas the final level—the results level—was omitted. Therefore, the data from the first three levels should not be used to infer the outcomes of results level.
Additionally, numerous factors may affect the outcome of this study during the course period, such as the location and environment of the course, the wireless Internet setup and bandwidth, mobile phone brands, digital learning experiences, and incidental events including power failure. Therefore, the analysis results of this study should not be generalized.
Research result
Senior citizens in Da’an District exhibited high degrees of satisfaction in the reaction, learning, and behavior levels
The present study employed descriptive statistics to analyze data and understand the participants’ awareness and evaluation scores at each level. The Kirkpatrick Model was used to design a questionnaire composed of three major dimensions: course satisfaction (reaction level), learning at work (learning level), and behavioral changes (behavior level).
First, the scale for course satisfaction, which was represented by the reaction level (see Table 5), was composed of two subdimensions: curriculum design and quality of instruction. The mean for curriculum design was 4.85 points, with no scores for any question items lower than 4; this indicated that the participants were inclined to approve of the curriculum design. The mean for instructor teaching was 4.96 points, and no scores for any question items were lower than 4.9. The ninth item, “I am satisfied with the teaching attitude of the instructor,” received an average rating of 5 points, indicating that all students’ perspectives were inclined toward acceptance of the instructor. The overall mean of the reaction level (course satisfaction) was 4.89 points and the students’ course evaluations tended toward acceptance in terms of course satisfaction.
Course satisfaction (reaction level) scale.
Based on interview data, the students were satisfied with the curriculum and quality of instruction on the mobile device course and provided the following suggestions for future course planning:
I did not expect to encounter the world’s best teacher and teaching assistant, who so patiently and thoroughly guided us, going to great pains and always smiling. I am very fortunate. (S3; 2017/05/26; P1; 8–9)
The instructors were kind and careful, which is very rare. (S4; 2017/05/26; P1; 12)
The teacher’s instruction was lively and active and stimulated our potential and wisdom. The learning attitude of each student was serious, which enabled us to keep up with technology and assimilate into the lives of modern people. This caused us to be highly interested in learning. I hope that this course can continue to be offered, so that more people can learn new technology and keep up with technology and young people. (S10; 2017/05/26; P1; 24–26)
Learning practical skills (learning level) scale.
Based on interview data, the students exhibited changes in their attitudes toward the mobile device course, felt that they had learned new concepts and techniques, perceived enhanced quality of life, and believed that the course had helped them to learn more efficiently and with greater interest, as illustrated in the following examples:
I have always been reluctant to use smartphones and thought they were too troublesome and that I would not use them. My grandson returned to Taiwan from the United States and bought one for me. Since then, I have loved it because I can chat with my grandson and interact with friends. Since I learned of an opportunity to learn to use smartphones, I have become even more delighted. I was originally afraid that I would not be intelligent enough to learn. (S2; 2017/05/26; P1; 6–9)
In the class, I learned about the various functions of and changes in smartphones. Now I can confidently use my phone without fear of getting lost. (S5; 2017/05/26; P1; 14)
Behavioral changes (behavior level) scale.
Based on interview data, the students believed that they had improved their professional skills during the mobile device course, and that the course had enabled a personal sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to be experienced. After completing the mobile device course, they could reduce their errors during operations and handle various demands of everyday life:
The content of this course was easy to learn and practical and everyday life has since become more active as a result. The course has had additional effects such as increasing knowledge and slowing aging. (S19; 2017/05/26; P2; 40–41)
This makes my life more convenient, lets me communicate more with my children, and enhances our communication. (S30; 2017/05/26; P3; 80–81)
Senior citizens living in Da’an District achieved rewarding learning outcomes and approved of the course
The mobile device course for senior citizens involved practical exercises in nearly every session, including taking self-portraits or panoramic photographs, using LINE to send voice messages, setting LINE icons and IDs, using voice search queries, and ordering train tickets. Further student in-class exercises recorded in LINE group albums included the following: after coloring paper, using Quiver-augmented reality to generate a three-dimensional image; producing photo collages and micro movies; and creating cartoon characters using MomentCam (see Table 8).
Student results.
After the course, all students expressed that they liked the results of each activity and were satisfied with the course and considered it to have been of interest. Coursework displays effectively increased the learning intention of students, who felt not only that the course had stimulated their personal potential but also that it had facilitated knowledge application at the information level and helped them to learn more rapidly.
Conclusion and suggestion
Conclusion
Based on quantitative data and qualitative interviews, the present study found that the mobile device course for senior citizens exhibited considerable effectiveness in the measurement results of three levels (reaction, learning practical skills, and behavioral changes) of the Kirkpatrick Model, and that overall, the course had received positive evaluations.
During the actual operation of mobile devices on the course, in addition to explanations being provided, practical operations were implemented to enable senior citizens to personally experience the various steps of operating mobile devices in an orderly manner and allow them to engage in increasingly in-depth learning. Nearly every session included practical exercises such as taking self-portraits or panoramic photographs, using LINE to send voice messages, and setting LINE icons and IDs. Therefore, the outcomes of this course were highly successful, including not only tangible learning outcomes but also intangible outcomes. After completion of the course, in addition to expressing satisfaction with their own work, the students knew how to use their mobile devices to render their lives more convenient, thereby bridging the gap between them and their children and grandchildren, and practically improving their ability for information application.
Although technology is constantly evolving, the spirit of continued learning into one’s later years does not change. Opening one’s mind to learning and accepting new technology can, in addition to facilitating knowledge acquisition, increase one’s self-worth and enhance life satisfaction in one’s later years.
Suggestion
The instruction in the present study revealed that most of the smartphones or tablets possessed by the senior participants were Android or IOS devices. Because these systems differ greatly in their operations and interfaces, during lesson preparation, much time was utilized to search for free application programs that could be downloaded on both systems, and operations required attention to differences between the methods of the two systems. Thus, operating systems for smartphones and tablets should be considered in course development, and different systems should be taught separately.
Suggestions for improving the course are as follows: (1) The screen size of smartphones affected senior citizen learning. Because some students had small screen sizes, operations during class were difficult, and it was only when tablets were subsequently lent out that this difficulty was reduced. (2) Internet difficulties: Because wireless network adapters were used to enable students to connect to the Internet, many people were online simultaneously, and thus Internet traffic jams were easily caused. This study recommends that a greater number of wireless routers be installed to mitigate this problem. (3) Some text descriptions were not easy to understand, and when only oral instructions were provided, the senior citizens were prone to making errors because of unfamiliarity with the interface. During such a course, electric projection tools for smartphones could be used in combination with a far infrared pen. However, the projection screen should not be positioned very far away because senior citizens with poor eyesight would be unable to see the screen easily.
Suggestions for future research are as follows. (1) The participants of the present study were senior citizens living in Da’an District, Taipei City. Future studies could offer courses in multiple areas to enhance the research validity. (2) Because of time limitations, the present study did not measure the results level of the Kirkpatrick Model. Of the four levels, the results level is the most difficult to evaluate and requires a lengthy duration for observation. Future studies could include this level to evaluate subsequent changes to senior citizen courses to benefit participants. (3) Information security should be a focal aspect of teaching to enable students to develop a basic ability to judge the accuracy of online information and to remind students about infringement of intellectual property rights.
Footnotes
Acknowledgement
This research is part of the project "Effects on information literacy and learning experience of senior citizens through the courses of information technology application"(Most 105–2511-S-152–002) of the R.O.C. Taiwan Ministry of Science.
Declaration of conflicting interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This article was funded by the R.O.C. Taiwan Ministry of Science.