Learning at Longhoughton

Yesterday I delivered the first of the learning sessions at Johnson House in Longhoughton. Through the Get Digital scheme the residents have bought a brand new PC and laptop and I'll be providing lessons for the next few weeks.

Last year the village had a visit from a "computer bus". This bus was kitted out with PCs and internet access so that people in rural areas could get a taster of surfing the web. The residents of Johnson House loved that experience and were really looking forward to using their own computers.

Most of the learners are complete beginners so I tried to keep yesterday's lessons nice and easy and fun! Everyone learned how to turn the PC on and off and started practising their mouse skills. We all had fun with the SeniorNet mouse exercises - lots of laughter as the computer made cat and dog sounds. The Solitaire game is ideal for practising with the mouse and one learner is already well on the way to being addicted!

Soon everyone was a mouse expert so we had a go at typing - one finger typing is all that's needed. And there's no hurry - the computer will wait while you find the key you want! It's always hard to think of something to type when you're just practising so most people just typed their name and address but I jokingly asked one lady if she knew any poems. A few minutes later she'd typed out a verse of the first poem she learned at school when she was four years old. It was a local story of the lifeboat volunteers in the village where she was brought up - her father had been one of the crew. A wonderful little snippet of social history!

I'm always concerned that learners won't enjoy the sessions and find the computers a bit daunting. No need to worry at Longhoughton - one gentleman started the session saying that he had come to see what it was about but that he wouldn't be able to learn. After an hour he thought it was "very interesting" and looking forward to next week. The 'poetry lady' would have "been on all day" if she hadn't had a hospital appointment to go to and another is going to make sure her WI activities don't interfere with computer lessons.

I think this is going to be a very successful scheme!