Barcelona Metropolis

Mutual learning between young and old

While tech optimists argue that growing numbers of internet users among the older age group could indicate the problem shall go away sooner or later, older people are still limited when it comes to acquiring digital skills on their own. For this reason, besides letting time pass, other measures must be taken, so that the generation gap is resolved. In this regard, apart from research into the level of digital accessibility and adoption, measures are needed that extend beyond the rollout of technology and that take the promotion of social contacts to influence digitalisation into account, either through access to digital resources or through support in the acquisition of digital skills. In this vein, some studies show the advantages of intergenerational digital learning, a pedagogical endeavour that benefits people with less digital knowledge and that, in turn, strengthens existing intergenerational relationships, breaking down barriers and dispelling negative stereotypes between generations.

For example, in a case study executed in Portugal, Azevedo and Ponte (2020) show that intergenerational learning between related individuals is conducive to achieving older people’s digital and social inclusion, as well as to fostering greater communication, support, understanding and solidarity between generations. Other studies, such as the one conducted by Leek and Rojek (2021), through research carried out in different European cities (Berlin, Gothenburg, Madrid and Sheffield), reveal the importance of intergenerational learning between immigrant youth and unrelated adults. It is evident from the study that digital tools can help those who do not have a good command of either ICT or the language and, therefore, intergenerational learning facilitates mutual understanding and helps to break down the polarisation that can occur between young immigrants and unrelated adults, to the mutual benefit of both parties. Closer to home are studies such as the one carried out by López Seguí (2019) on “digital partners” in the Catalan municipalities of Vic and Centelles, which is part of an intergenerational learning project that seeks to improve the digital skills of the over-65 in using smartphones and tablets with their intergenerational 14 to 15 year-old “partners”.

On the one hand, we know that acquiring ICT skills can reduce the digital divide between young and old, while offering greater autonomy to older people and, ultimately, active ageing with social inclusion. On the other hand, intergenerational digital learning can bring about greater cohesion between generations in the way young and older people identify with the world around them, their vision and their values. And this is no less improtant. The Digital Agenda for Europe (2010-2020), one of the seven flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy for growth and employment, defines the key role of ICT and underlines the importance of intergenerational support, especially towards older people in learning to use digital technologies. In this context, in the document ICT for Seniors’ and Intergenerational Learning, the European Commission asserts that the use of ICT is an ideal means to promote intergenerational learning and to conquer the digital divide.

With digitalisation picking up speed in contemporary societies, the transfer of younger people’s digital skills to older people must be rendered more effective. And this is imperative against a backdrop of burgeoning use and implementation of applications such as e-banking, e-shopping and e-health in today’s digital economy. Failure to do so can lead to, at best, inferior individual well-being and, at worst, technological discrimination that manifests itself in the form of poverty and social exclusion. We have seen the latter reality too often during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many older people with no internet access were offline and were unable to follow advice online, resulting in social isolation. In other cases, it was not the lack of access, but of digital skills, which exacerbated the lack of knowledge, thereby limiting their access.

In short, although it may seem reasonable to believe that individual socioeconomic characteristics play a decisive role in accounting for the quality of ICT access and skills in the older population, a solely individualistic approach disregards how the younger and older generations interact and influence one another. In principle, highly digitalised young people far surpass older people, including their parents, in terms of technology skills and, therefore, are in a prime position to provide them with ICT knowledge and resources. That is, younger generations are in a good position to help older adults to keep abreast of the latest developments. Unfortunately, the story of parallel and separate digital lives between young and old is all too often reinforced in the media and popular culture, despite the fact that all generations move together in time and are interdependent on each other. In fact, we can find systems of intergenerational reciprocity all over the world: there is a systematic transfer of knowledge, skills, competencies, norms and values between generations. And the transfers are not only those made by older people to young people, but also the other way around. A direct form of the latter type occurs through intergenerational digital learning initiatives, that is, giving access and pertinent information on the use and implementation of ICTs to older people based on the ICT skills of the younger generation that is (generally) more digitalised. This exchange of knowledge is also possible indirectly if the older person is in constant contact with young people and their digital habits and uses.

From this broader perspective of social capital, younger generations can influence a more universal digital transition if there is intergenerational solidarity within and outside the home, and if young and old people work towards a common goal of universal digitalisation. Today, although a great deal of emphasis is being placed on younger people’s digital skills and training, especially for their future employability, it is often forgotten that this knowledge can be transferred to older people, as has already been done on other paramount issues such as sustainable mobility and recycling.

References

Azevedo, C. and Ponte, C. “Intergenerational solidarity or intergenerational gap?”. Observatorio, 14 (3), 16-35. 2020.

Leek, J. and Rojek, M. “ICT tools in breaking down social polarization and supporting intergenerational learning: cases of youth and senior citizens”. Interactive Learning Environments, DOI: 10.1080/10494820.2021.1940214. 2021.

Seguí, F. L., de San Pedro, M., Verges, E. A., Algado, S. S. and Cuyàs, F. G. “An intergenerational information and communications technology learning project to improve digital skills: User satisfaction evaluation”. JMIR Aging, 2(2), e13939. 2019.