INVESTIGATION OF 65+ INDIVIDUALS' DIGITAL SKILLS IN TERMS OF VARIOUS VARIABLES

Yıl 2025, Sayı: 29, 440 - 458, 30.04.2025

Ayşin Gaye Üstün

https://doi.org/10.29029/busbed.1621054

Öz

Aging is a period in which individuals experience changes in their physical, cognitive, and social abilities, and these changes affect their interactions with digital technologies. The digital competencies of individuals aged 65 and over are important in terms of their understanding of the role of technology in daily life and their effective use. This study aimed to determine the digital competencies of 142 individuals enrolled in Sinop 3rd Age University. In the mixed-method study, quantitative data were collected with the “Digital Competency Inventory” and qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis H tests were used to analyze the data. In the study, it was found that problem-solving competency scores differed according to educational status; information literacy, communication, security, and problem-solving scores showed a significant relationship with social media use; and information literacy scores showed a significant relationship with negative experiences on the internet. In addition, a significant difference was found between digital competence scores and individuals' beliefs that daily tasks will be carried out over the internet in the future. Qualitative findings show that individuals use digital devices for purposes such as social media, communication, banking, shopping, reading news, and searching for information. Technical problems and security concerns are the main challenges in the usage process. The motivation sources of individuals over 65 years of age for using digital technologies are curiosity and convenience. Individuals have high expectations of using digital devices independently and adapting to new technologies in the future. Accordingly, digital literacy training should be designed by the characteristics of older individuals, and technologies for older adults should focus on accessibility and simplicity.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Digital Literacy , Digital Skills , Age 65 and over , 3rd Age University , Old Age

65 YAŞ ÜSTÜ BİREYLERİN DİJİTAL BECERİLERİNİN ÇEŞİTLİ DEĞİŞKENLER AÇISINDAN İNCELENMESİ

Öz

Yaşlılık, bireylerin fiziksel, bilişsel ve sosyal yeteneklerinde değişimlerin yaşandığı bir dönem olup, bu değişimler dijital teknolojilerle etkileşimlerini etkilemektedir. 65 yaş ve üzeri bireylerin dijital becerileri, teknolojinin günlük yaşamdaki rolünü anlamaları ve etkin kullanımları açısından önemlidir. Bu çalışmada, Sinop Üçüncü Yaş Üniversitesi’ne kayıtlı 142 bireyin dijital becerilerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Karma yöntemle tasarlanan araştırmada nicel veriler “Dijital Yetkinlik Envanteri” ile, nitel veriler ise yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmelerle toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde betimsel analiz, Mann-Whitney U ve Kruskal-Wallis H testleri kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada, problem çözme beceri puanlarının eğitim durumlarına göre farklılık gösterdiği; bilgi okur-yazarlığı, iletişim, güvenlik ve problem çözme puanlarının sosyal medya kullanımıyla; bilgi okur-yazarlığı puanlarının ise internette olumsuz deneyimlerle anlamlı bir ilişki gösterdiği tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca, dijital beceri puanları ile bireylerin gelecekte internet üzerinden günlük işlerin yürütüleceğine olan inançları arasında anlamlı farklılık bulunmuştur. Nitel bulgular, bireylerin dijital cihazları sosyal medya, haberleşme, bankacılık, alışveriş, haber okuma ve bilgi arama gibi amaçlarla kullandığını göstermektedir. Teknik sorunlar ve güvenlik endişeleri, kullanım sürecindeki temel zorluklardır. 65 yaş üstü bireylerin dijital teknolojileri kullanmadaki motivasyon kaynakları ise merak ve kolaylık sağlamadır. Bireylerin gelecekte dijital cihazları bağımsız kullanma ve yeni teknolojilere uyum sağlama beklentisi yüksektir. Bu doğrultuda, dijital okuryazarlık eğitimleri yaşlı bireylerin özelliklerine uygun şekilde tasarlanmalı ve yaşlılara yönelik teknolojiler erişilebilirlik ve sadeliğe odaklanmalıdır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Dijital Okuryazarlık , Dijital Beceri , 65 Yaş ve Üstü , Üçüncü Yaş Üniversitesi , Yaşlılık

Etik Beyan

ÇALIŞMANIN ETİK İZNİ Yapılan bu çalışmada “Yükseköğretim Kurumları Bilimsel Araştırma ve Yayın Etiği Yönergesi” kapsamında uyulması belirtilen tüm kurallara uyulmuştur. Yönergenin ikinci bölümü olan “Bilimsel Araştırma ve Yayın Etiğine Aykırı Eylemler” başlığı altında belirtilen eylemlerden hiçbiri gerçekleştirilmemiştir. Etik kurul izin bilgileri Etik değerlendirmeyi yapan kurul adı: Sinop Üniversitesi İnsan Araştırmaları Etik Kurulu Etik değerlendirme kararının tarihi: 28 Mart 2024 Etik değerlendirme belgesi sayı numarası: 2024/71 ARAŞTIRMACILARIN KATKI ORANI 1.yazarın araştırmaya katkı oranı %100 Yazar 1: Yazar çalışmanın literatür taraması, verilerinin toplanması, verilerin analiz edilmesi, çalışmanın bulgularının sunulması ve tartışılması gibi çalışmanın tüm sürecini tek başına gerçekleştirmiştir. ÇATIŞMA BEYANI Araştırmada herhangi bir kişi ya da kurum ile finansal ya da kişisel yönden bağlantı bulunmamaktadır. Araştırmada herhangi bir çıkar çatışması bulunmamaktadır.

Teşekkür

Çalışmanın veri toplama sürecinde desteklerini esirgemeyen Sinop Üniversitesi yönetimine ve 2023-2024 Eğitim Öğretim Yılında Sinop 3. Yaş Üniversitesine kayıtlı 65 yaş üstü öğrencilerine teşekkür ederim.

Kaynakça

• Akdağ, H., & Şiraz, F. (2021). Dijital vatandaşlığa dönüşüm (Türkiye özelinde): Literatür taraması. TÜRKAV Kamu Yönetimi Enstitüsü Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 1(1), 77-97.
• Ali Hafez, S., Mohamed El-Sayed El-sheikh, S., Abd El Fattah Ibrahim, N., & Youssef Gaid, J. (2024). Exploring digital literacy among community-dwelling older adults. Alexandria Scientific Nursing Journal, 26(2), 186-197. https://doi.org/10.21608/asalexu.2024.361332
• Anderson, J., & Rainie, L. (2023). The future of human agency. Pew Research Center.
• Atakişi, B., & Orhan, Ş. F. (2020). Orta yaş ve üstü yetişkinlerin günlük yaşamda internet kullanma durumlarının incelenmesi. Yıldız Journal of Educational Research, 5(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.51280/yjer.2020.001
• Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.
• Bansal, N., & Choudhary, H. (2024). Growing old in the digital era: A qualitative study of internet use and outcomes among urban Indian older adults. Working with Older People, 28(4), 317-335. https://doi.org/10.1108/WWOP-08-2023-0032
• Bawden, D., & Robinson, L. (2015). Introduction to information science. Facet Publishing.
• Bugay, A., & Korkut-Owen, F. (2016). İletişim becerilerinin yordayıcıları: Bilgi ve iletişim teknolojilerinin kullanımı, benlik saygısı, dışa dönüklük ve cinsiyet. Mersin Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 12(2), 542-554. https://doi.org/10.17860/efd.26005
• Charness, N., & Boot, W. R. (2009). Aging and information technology use: Potential and barriers. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18(5), 253-258. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2009.01647.x
• Chiu, C. J., Tasi, W. C., Yang, W. L., & Guo, J. L. (2019). How to help older adults learn new technology? Results from a multiple case research interviewing the internet technology instructors at the senior learning center. Computers & Education, 129, 61–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.10.020
• Choi, N. G., & DiNitto, D. M. (2013). Internet use among older adults: Association with health needs, psychological capital, and social capital. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 15(5), e2333. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2333
• Chopik, W. J. (2016). The benefits of social technology use among older adults are mediated by reduced loneliness. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19(9), 551–556. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0151
• Cotten, S., Yost, E., Berkowsky, R., Winstead, V., Anderson, W. (2016). Designing technology training for older adults in continuing care retirement communities. CRC Press.
• Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). Sage.
• Eshet, Y. (2004). Digital literacy: A conceptual framework for survival skills in the digital era. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 13(1), 93-106.
• European Commission. (2021). Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2021: The digital skills gap in Europe. Retrieved from https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/
• Eurostat. (2020). Ageing Europe. Looking at the lives of older people in the EU. European Union. https://doi.org/10.2785/628105
• Flauzino, K. D. L., Pimentel, M., Batistoni, S., Zaine, I., Vieira, L., Rodrigues, K., et al. (2020). Digital literacy for older adults: Perceptions about teaching-learning. Educaçao & Realidade, 4, 45. https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-6236104913
• Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, M. E. (2009). How to design and evaluate research in education (7th ed.). MacGraw-Hill.
• Friemel, T. N. (2016). The digital divide has grown old: Determinants of a digital divide among seniors. New Media & Society, 18(2), 313-331. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444814538648
• Gallistl, V., Rohner, R., Hengl, L., & Kolland, F. (2021). Doing digital exclusion–technology practices of older internet non-users. Journal of Aging Studies, 59, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2021.100973
• Gao, Y., Liang, J., & Xu, Z. (2024). Digital social media expression and social adaptability of the older adult driven by artificial intelligence. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1424898. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1424898
• Gonçalves, V.P., de Almeida Neris, V.P., Seraphini, S., Dias, T.C.M., Pessin, G., Johnson, T., Ueyama, J. (2017). Providing adaptive smartphone interfaces targeted at elderly people: An approach that takes into account diversity among the elderly. Univ. Access Inf. Soc. 16(1), 129–149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-015-0429-9
• González, A., Ramírez, M. P., & Viadel, V. (2012). Attitudes of the elderly toward information and communications technologies. Educational Gerontology, 38(9), 585-594. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2011.595314
• Grilli, M. D., McVeigh, K. S., Hakim, Z. M., Wank, A. A., Getz, S. J., Levin, B. E., ... & Wilson, R. C. (2021). Is this phishing? Older age is associated with greater difficulty discriminating between safe and malicious emails. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 76(9), 1711-1715. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa228
• Gruenangerl, M., & Prandner, D. 2024. The contribution of digital technology training to the digital competency gap. A case study from Austria. In: 10th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’24). Valencia, 18-21 June 2024. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd24.2024.17322
• Hargittai, E., & Dobransky, K. (2017). Old dogs, new clicks: Digital inequality in skills and uses among older adults. Canadian Journal of Communication, 42(2). https://doi.org/10.22230/cjc.2017v42n2a3176
• Hargittai, E., Piper, A. M., & Morris, M. R. (2019). From internet access to internet skills: Digital inequality among older adults. Universal Access in the Information Society, 18, 881-890. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-018-0617-5
• Heart, T., & Kalderon, E. (2013). Older adults: Are they ready to adopt health-related ICT? International Journal of Medical Informatics, 82(11), 209-231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2011.03.002
• Hertzog, C., Pearman, A., Lustig, E., & Hughes, M. (2021). Fostering self-management of everyday memory in older adults: A new intervention approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 560056. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.560056
• Huang, G., Jia, W., & Yu, W. (2024). Media literacy interventions improve resilience to misinformation: A meta-analytic investigation of overall effect and moderating factors. Communication Research, 00936502241288103. https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241288103
• Iancu, I., Iancu, B. (2017). Elderly in the digital era. Theoretical Perspectives on Assistive Technologies, 5(60), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies5030060
• Illeris, K., & Ryan, C. (2020). Contemporary theories of learning: Learning theorists... in their own words. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 60(1), 138-143.
• İmançer, E.D. (2020). Tazelenme üniversitesi ege kampüsündeki 60 yaş ve üzeri bireylerde obezite varlığı, beden ağırlığı algısı ve ilişkili etmenler [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi.
• İştar-Işıklı, E. (2024). Dijitalleşme sürecinde yaşlı bireylerin karşılaştığı zorluklar ve çözüm önerileri. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, 23(92). https://doi.org/10.17755/esosder.1537052
• Kalınkara, V., & Sarı, İ. (2018). Yaşlıların bilgi teknolojileri kullanımı ve yaşam doyumu: Potansiyel ve engeller, ergonomik yaklaşım. Mühendislik Bilimleri ve Tasarım Dergisi, 6 (ÖS: Ergonomi2017), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.21923/jesd.367367
• Lei, X., Matovic, D., Leung, W. Y., Viju, A., & Wuthrich, V. M. (2024). The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review. International Psychogeriatrics, 36 (9), 714-746. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610223004519
• Leist, A. K. (2013). Social media use of older adults: A mini-review. Gerontology, 59(4), 378–384. https://doi.org/10.1159/000346818
• Lenehan, M. E., Summers, M. J., Saunders, N. L., Summers, J. J., & Vickers, J. C. (2015). Relationship between education and age‐related cognitive decline: A review of recent research. Psychogeriatrics, 15(2), 154-162. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.12083
• Llorente-Barroso, C., Kolotouchkina, O., & Mañas-Viniegra, L. (2021). The enabling role of ICT to mitigate the negative effects of emotional and social loneliness of the elderly during COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 3923. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083923
• Lövdén, M., Fratiglioni, L., Glymour, M. M., Lindenberger, U., & Tucker-Drob, E. M. (2020). Education and cognitive functioning across the life span. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 21(1), 6-41. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100620920576
• McGrew, S., & Kohnen, A. M. (2024). Tackling misinformation through online information literacy: Structural and contextual considerations. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 56(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2023.2280385
• Miller, L. M. S., Callegari, R. A., Abah, T., & Fann, H. (2024). Digital literacy training for low-ıncome older adults through undergraduate community-engaged learning: Single-group pretest-posttest study. JMIR Aging, 7, e51675. https://doi.org/10.2196/51675
• Morrison, B. A., Nicholson, J., Coventry, L., & Briggs, P. (2023, September). Recognising diversity in older adults' cybersecurity needs. In Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on Information Technology for Social Good (pp. 437-445).
• Nakahara, K., & Yokoi, K. (2024). Role of meaningful social participation and technology use in mitigating loneliness and cognitive decline among older adults. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 78(6). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2024.050794
• Nimrod, G. (2017). Older audiences in the digital media environment. Information, Communication & Society, 20(2), 233-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2016.1164740
• Özbek, Ç., Ulubey, Ö., Adnan, M., & Kapucu, N. K. (2022). Yaşlılara yönelik dijital yetkinlik envanterinin geçerlik ve güvenilirlik çalışması. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 57, 98-122.
• Özer, İ. B. (2024). Yaşlı dostu dijital ekosistem oluşturmak. Senectus, 2(1), 115-118. https://doi.org/10.26650/senectus.2024.2.1.0027
• Pacheco, E. (2024). Older adults’ safety and security online: A post-pandemic exploration of attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Digital Media & Interaction, 7(17), 107-126. https://doi.org/10.34624/jdmi.v7i17.37825
• Pangrazio, L., & Sefton-Green, J. (2020). The social utility of ‘data literacy’. Learning, Media and Technology, 45(2), 208-220. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2020.1707223
• Pihlainen, K., Korjonen-Kuusipuro, K., & K ̈arn ̈a, E. (2021). Perceived benefits from non formal digital training sessions in later life: Views of older adult learners, peer tutors and teachers. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 40(2), 155–169. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2021.1919768
• Quan-Haase, A., Williams, C., Kicevski, M., Elueze, I., & Wellman, B. (2018). Dividing the grey divide: Deconstructing myths about older adults’ online activities, skills, and attitudes. American Behavioral Scientist, 62(9), 1207-1228. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764218777572
• Quinn, K. (2018). Cognitive effects of social media use: A case of older adults. Social Media+ Society, 4(3), 2056305118787203. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305118787203
• Reneland-Forsman, L. (2018). ‘Borrowed access’–the struggle of older persons for digital participation. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 37(3), 333–344. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2018.1473516
• Rowlands, I., Nicholas, D., Williams, P., Huntington, P., Fieldhouse, M., Gunter, B., ... & Tenopir, C. (2008, July). The Google generation: The information behaviour of the researcher of the future. In Aslib Proceedings, 60 (4), 290-310. https://doi.org/10.1108/00012530810887953
• Samita, M., & Kauts, A. (2022). Facebook as a supporting tool for enhancing social interaction skills in a physics teaching subject. Vidyodaya Journal of Science, 25(02), 129-137. https://doi.org/10.31357/vjs.v25i02.6180
• Schroeder, T., Dodds, L., Georgiou, A., Gewald, H., & Siette, J. (2023). Older adults and new technology: Mapping review of the factors associated with older adults’ intention to adopt digital technologies. JMIR Aging, 6(1), e44564. https://doi.org/10.2196/44564
• Seifert, A., Cotten, S., & Xie, B. (2021). A double burden of exclusion? Digital and social exclusion of older adults in times of COVID-19. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 76(3), 99–103. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa098
• Shang, Y., Wu, Z., Du, X., Jiang, Y., Ma, B., & Chi, M. (2022). The psychology of the internet fraud victimization of older adults: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 912242. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.912242
• Sheahan, J., Hjorth, L., Figueiredo, B., Martin, D. M., Reid, M., Aleti, T., & Buschgens, M. (2022). Co-creating ICT risk strategies with older Australians: A workshop model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(1), 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010052
• Tashakkori, A., & Creswell, J. W. (2007). The new era of mixed methods. Journal of Mixed Methods, 1(1), 2-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/2345678906293042
• Terakye, G., Güner, P. (1997). Kriz potansiyeli taşıyan bir dönem: Yaşlılık. Kriz Dergisi, 5 (2), 95- 101.
• Terlemez, M., Ulutak, İ., Demiray, E., Candemir, Ö., & Öztürk, S. (2024). Aktif yaşlanma ve tazelenme üniversiteleri: Anadolu Üniversitesi örneği. Social Science Development Journal, 9(48), 24-47. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14464263
• Tucker-Drob, E. M. (2019). Cognitive aging and dementia: A life-span perspective. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 1(1), 177-196. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-121318-085204
• van Boekel, L., Peek, S., Luijkx, K. (2017). Diversity in older adults? Use of the internet: Identifying subgroups through latent class analysis. Med. Internet. Res. 19(5). https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6853
• van Deursen, A. J., & Helsper, E. J. (2015). The third-level digital divide: Who benefits most from being online? Communication and Information Technologies Annual, 10(2), 29–52. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2050-206020150000010002
• van Dijk, J. (2017). Afterword: The state of digital divide theory. In M. Ragnedda, & G. Muscher (Eds.), Theorizing digital divides (pp. 199–206). Routledge.
• Volkmann, T., Miller, I., & Jochems, N. (2020). Addressing fear and lack of knowledge of older adults regarding social network sites. In J. Zhou & G. Salvendy (Eds.), Human aspects of IT for the aged population. Technology and society: 6th International Conference, ITAP 2020, Held as Part of the 22nd HCI International Conference, HCII 2020, Copenhagen, Denmark, July 19–24, 2020, Proceedings, Part III (pp. 114–130). Springer International Publishing.
• Vroman, K.G., Arthanat, S., Lysack, C. (2015). Who over 65 is online? Older adults’ dispositions toward information communication technology. Computers in Human Behavior, 43, 156–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.10.018
• Wang, H., Yang, M. S., & Choi, Y. K. (2021). Barriers that contribute to the digital divide among older community dwelling adults in later life. Innovation in Aging, 5(1), 869.
• World Health Organization (2015): World report on ageing and health. http://www.who.int/ageing/events/world-report-2015-launch/en/
• Xie, B., Charness, N., Fingerman, K., Kaye, J., Kim, M. T., & Khurshid, A. (2021). When going digital becomes a necessity: Ensuring older adults’ needs for information, services, and social inclusion during COVID-19. In Older Adults and COVID-19, 181-191. Routledge.
• Xu, L., Lam, Y. Y., Ng, D. T. K., Peng, P., Suen, W. L., Lee, C. S. Y., & Chu, S. K. W. (2024). Digital literacy education for older adults: A scoping review. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 61(1), 691-696. https://doi.org/10.1002/pra2.1081
• Zahodne, L. B., Glymour, M. M., Sparks, C., Bontempo, D., Dixon, R. A., MacDonald, S. W., & Manly, J. J. (2011). Education does not slow cognitive decline with aging: 12-year evidence from the Victoria longitudinal study. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 17(6), 1039-1046. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617711001044