This is a slideshow I did to present my research proposal about senior citizens and social media.

1. ISI 5101: Final Research Proposal
Computer Education Workshops About
Facebook at OPL and Senior Citizens
http://recruiterpoet.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/elderly2.jpg

2. Problem Statement
“The goal of this study is to investigate the
impact of computer education workshops at
the Ottawa Public Library on the awareness
of selected groups of senior citizens
regarding the disclosure of personal
information on Facebook.”

3. Introduction

Some prior research regarding seniors and
social media

Plan to address gaps
− Some information about seniors and
the Internet
− Little information about seniors and social
media
− No information about library education
programs and seniors' information literacy

4. Potential Benefits

Provide more information about online
behaviour of this demographic

Educational programs can be tailored to
their needs and interests
− Beneficial for the promotion of library
services

5. Definitions

Personal data: Information about an individual
person, such as name, social security number,
age, occupation, marital status, etc. (Reitz)

Senior citizen: An elderly person who may
require special assistance in accessing and
using the facilities, services, and collections of
a library (Reitz); individuals aged 65 and over
(Turcotte & Schellenberg)

6. Definitions (cont'd)

Social media: An electronic service (usually
Web-based) designed to allow users to
establish a personal or organizational profile
and contact other individuals for the purpose of
communicating, collaborating, and/or sharing
content with them … Examples include Bebo,
Facebook, Twitter (Reitz)

7. Literature Review: Brabazon

Discusses “digital divide”
− Will engaging seniors in Internet usage
help to ease isolation?

Governments need to decide role in
promoting information literacy for seniors
− Municipal governments?

Focuses on Australia

Did not discuss what government role
should be

8. Literature Review: Hogeboom, et
al.

Examined impact of Internet/social media
usage on relationships of older adults (50+)

Conclusion: positive impact, prevents
isolation

American, focuses on African-Americans,
Hispanics, and residents of Florida

Good general idea of how older adults
interacting

9. Literature Review: Lehtinen,
Nasanen, & Sarvas

Examined how small sample group (4 men,
4 women, aged 58-66) used Finnish
networking site Netlog

Main concerns for older users: privacy, lack
of confidence

Suggested new social networking site for
older adults with real-life social events for
promotion
− Impact of library programs?

10. Literature Review: Pew Research
Center

Proportion of Americans 65+ who use Internet
is steadily increasing

Main barriers: lack of
knowledge/experience/interest, age-related
physical disabilities (i.e. vision)

Enthusiastic when accustomed

Some limitations on interview questions
− Non-responses allowed

11. Study Framework

Brabazon: digital divide

Hogeboom, et al.: increased isolation for older
adults

Pew Research Center: reservations due to lack
of knowledge/experience/interest, age-related
physical disabilities

Lehtinen, Nasanen, & Sarvas: real-life events
could lead to increased usage of social media

12. Study Framework (cont'd)

Theory: library programs (real-life events) could
have positive impact on seniors' information
literacy
− Reduce concerns through education
− Lessen digital divide

Examine Ottawa Public Library's “Techno
Buddies” program

13. Methodology: Interviews

Little to no research, not much known about
demographic (Beck & Manuel, 2008, 77)

Structured interviews = quantitative
− Interview schedule (5-8 questions with
predetermined responses)

Unstructured portion = qualitative
− Discussion about user experience

Unbiased sample with low margin for error

Triangulation

14. Methodology: Content Analysis

Used to examine large quantity of transcribed
interview data

Quantitative
− Word count (structured interview)

Qualitative
− Coding to look for meaning (unstructured)

Inter-rater reliability

15. Time Frame

Interviews: at least 3-4 months
− Coordinating schedules
− Unstructured portion will take more time
− Transcribe data

Content analysis: at least 6 months
− Quantitative and qualitative
− Coding

16. Works Cited

Beck, S.E. & Manuel, K. (2008). Practical
research methods for library and
information professionals. New York: Neal-
Schuman Publishers, Inc.

Brabazon, T. (5 December 2005). From Eleanor
Rigby to Nannanet: The greying of the
World Wide Web. First Monday, 10(12).

17. Works Cited (cont'd)

Hogeboom, D.L. et al. (January 2010). Internet
use and social networking among middle aged
and older adults. Educational
Gerontology, 36(2).

Lehtinen, V., Nasanen, J., & Sarvas, R. (2009).
“A little silly and empty-headed”: Older
adults' understandings of social networking
sites. People and Computers XXIII –
Celebrating People and Technology.

Ottawa Public Library. (2012). Library programs.
Retrieved from:
http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/main/program

18. Works Cited (cont'd)

Pew Research Center. (28 March 2004). Older
Americans and the Internet. Retrieved from:
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2004/Older-Am

Reitz, J.M. (2012). Online Dictionary for Library
and Information Science. Retrieved from:
http://www.abc-clio.com/ODLIS/odlis_p.aspx

Turcotte, M. & Schellenberg, G. Statistics
Canada. (2007). A Portrait of Seniors in
Canada: An Introduction.