This study aimed to realize the relationship between learning styles and use of information communication and technologies (ICTs) of older adults in Taiwan, specifically how the learning styles of the elders predict their use of ICTs. Data was collected from a sample of 313 senior adults who are above 55 years of age in the senior centers in Kaohsiung City. The instrument of the Elders¡¦ Access and Use of ICT Questionnaire was developed by the author bases on Selwyn, Gorard & Furlong¡¦s Adult Learning @ Home Questionnaire 2002 and related literature. In addition, the researcher also investigated the learning style preferences using Kolb Learning Style Inventory. The findings from the research summarized as follows: (a) most of the participants were the ¡§Accommodators¡¨, (b) in terms of access and use of ICTs, the older adults had more access to communication technologies than to information technologies , (c) receiving the videio/visual informtation is the main activity when elders used ICTs (d) and there was a significantly positive correlation between concrete experiences/ active experimentation and their frequency of ICTs use while a significantly negative correlation between abstract conceptualization/ reflective observation and frequency of ICTs use. Specifically, (e) active experience is to the most significant predictor to the older adults¡¦ ICTs use.
Recommendations were also provided based on the findings of this study. It is recommended the the government should encourage elders under 64 years old to use the ICTs, viewing them as important human resources and and provide assistance to retrain their IT skills . For the elders who were above 65 years of age, they should receive more opportunities to access ICTs and develop positive attitudes towards the use of ICTs. Results from this study provided suggestions and implications to the government, institutions and organizations on ICT policy implementations to make elders become productive human resources, and to help them age productively to achieve self-realization for the purpose of life long learning.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NSYSU/oai:NSYSU:etd-0125110-103922 |
| Date | 25 January 2010 |
| Creators | Chiang, Yin-Hui |
| Contributors | Ming-Chang Cheng, Hsueh-Hua Chuang, Zuway-R Hong |
| Publisher | NSYSU |
| Source Sets | NSYSU Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive |
| Language | Cholon |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lib.nsysu.edu.tw/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0125110-103922 |
| Rights | unrestricted, Copyright information available at source archive |
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