Prior to this reading, I too defined literacy as the ability to read and write.  I never considered stairs to be a technological wonder!  I have revised my thinking and have been pondering other types of literacy necessary in today’s society.

I am most concerned about the literacy of adults.  Most children readily adapt to new ways of doing things because they don’t have as much experience in using tried and true methods.  I remember when my father had to learn to direct dial to make a long distance phone call.  He simply could not or would not do it. His tried and true method was to pick up the phone, dial "O" for the operator and she handled it from that point on.  Suddenly he was expected to remember to put a "1" and then an area code in front of the phone number. He was mad about the change and refused to adapt. Although he was a certified ham radio operator and learned Morse code to get his license, he perceived the direct-dial telephone to be a nuisance and impossible to learn.

My mother has also had to struggle with literacy and using technology.  She is in a nursing home and needed a new television.  I purchased one with a remote control, thinking she would be able to change channels from her bed.  She never understood that a remote device could change the channels.  Unfortunately, she also couldn’t comprehend that she could see and change the channels by pressing on a button on the television itself.  After weeks of explaining the process to her and taping instructions on the remote and the television, I finally gave up and fortunately found an old television with labeled buttons she could press for each channel.

Adult "illiteracy" came to mind again this summer when I attended a genealogy conference. There clearly was a shift in the research methods compared to other conferences I’ve attended.  Much of genealogy research is now done using the Internet.  The tried and true methods of researching by going to courthouses, cemeteries, archives and the like are still valid and necessary, but genealogical information on the Internet is growing faster perhaps than any other type. The Internet cannot be overlooked when doing research.  I felt a bit sorry for the veteran genealogists who were having difficulty adapting.  In one workshop an elderly presenter was giving an electronic presentation on a laptop.  She mentioned that her grandson had prepared it for her and she was doing her best to cope with the new equipment.  These adult researchers know that their careers depend upon their learning the new technologies, but some of them are having a difficult time.

As the technology director for my school, I have trained both students and faculty to use technology.  Students are usually quick to learn and adapt.  Most teachers have learned quickly also.  Unfortunately, there are a few teachers who nearly need to be coerced into learning the new methods.  They display an attitude about learning that they would abhor in their students.  Fear of failure, of course, is the primary cause of their recalcitrance and successfully mastering the concepts helps alleviate the fear.  Most schools can identify at least a few teachers who are reluctant learners and would be classified as technologically illiterate.  Part of the solution is to provide these teachers with resources that will allow them to learn in a setting that is not threatening or extremely frustrating.  The sites listed below provide instruction for adults.

ADULT LITERACY SITES
Seniornet.com is a site designed for Seniors ages 50+ (!) who need help in learning to use technology. The site also exists to "enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom." They offer help in other literacy areas also, such as an "Enrichment Center for Investing Education," and a "Scams and Fraud Center."

Another site with links to adult literacy sites is Interactive Instruction for Adult Learners.  Although designed for adults with development disabilities, it is also appropriate for low level literacy learners.