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Sep 5, 2008 9:44 pm US/Central
Online Classes Help Seniors Learn New Technology
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Those who are computer savvy don't realize that there is an entire group of Americans who are really intimidated by those machines. But one North Texas woman is trying to change all that.
"I teach seniors at Richland College," said Mimi Witcher, founder of
Computer School for Seniors. "One of my students came to me because he was losing his eyesight and wanted to know if it would be possible to put some of my classes online."
So that's what Witcher did. What grew from that was a campus that has no walls, no physical location and no limits.
"The core of it is life long learning for seniors," she said. "It's a safe place to come on the internet to learn about the internet and to learn about the computer."
But the campus doesn't stop there. Seniors can access units on government, finance, photography and even photo restoration. Courses are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The content is growing as students and professionals add on.
"I've gone out and done research on long-term care insurance, rising cost of healthcare and even how to choose an executor for your estate," said Kay Baum, a student of the online school.
Baum jumped online to stay current with the technology she worked with before she retired, but discovered so much more.
"The campus kitchen is great," she said. "I found lots of yummy recipes and a few heart healthy ones."
Witcher first laid hands on a computer at age 55, so she knows the angst seniors feel. She also knows the feeling of strength that comes from mastering the technology. She has made the tools of "Generation X and Y" accessible to older "Boomers" and the "Greatest Generation."
The online campus boasts nearly 500 students. One even jumps online from Australia. The cost was designed not to break the fixed-income bank. It's only $36 for a six month course.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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