Update #3

Both Joyce and Betsy have mastered basic skills such as using the keyboard and mouse and logging into the computer. However, Joyce isn't as advanced as Betsy when it comes to things such as web browsing. In my meeting with Betsy today, she was able to access her email and use other Google services such as Docs, Maps, and Search. She was interested in finding out where exactly the Sahara Desert and various African countries were located. I explained how to refine Google searches to only show images, videos, or other items. In this case, we were able to find images that depicted the boundaries of the Sahara. Additionally, I introduced Betsy to Google Maps and Streetview. She spent some time looking around the Bay Area but then realized that she could find her childhood house in St. Louis. Using the 360-degree look around feature with Streetview, Betsy was able to explore her old neighborhood. I think that she has gotten to the point where she recognizes the immense potential and capability of technology. For someone who has never used a computer before, Betsy's knowledge about subjects like the Internet has greatly expanded. 

Update #2

Following the first session, Sean and I decided to switch to a one-on-one structure. Since Joyce and Betsy were at different skill levels, I could assist them with more personalized support. In my first individual session with Betsy, I was able to introduce her to more information about email and web browsing. She was able to find a wheelchair transport service by searching on Google. In our next meeting together, I plan to show her other resources such as Google Drive and YouTube. My most recent meeting was with Joyce. We practiced turning on the computer and manipulating the keyboard and mouse. She improved a lot even from the first session. Next, I gave her a simple explanation about the Internet and what it could be used for. I compared the Internet to a book, with each page representing a website and the table of contents representing a search engine. Joyce was able to open Chrome and get the hang of entering queries. Because she had just broken her watch, she wanted to find a service shop. I showed her how she could do that through the Internet, and she was definitely surprised. 

Update #1

After talking with the activities coordinator, Sean Boyd, at the Sunrise Senior Center, I was able to secure a spot. Sean and I came up with a schedule that consisted of sessions on every Wednesday and Saturday from 11-12. The first session I went to actually didn't involve any tech support at all. Sean introduced me to some new members of the center who were still getting an introduction and didn't want to jump straight into tech support. For about an hour, I helped a couple of mainly elderly women play a word game. Basically, the players of the game have to come up with words that use the letters inside a larger word. By the end of the hour, I had written around 150 words on the whiteboard. Initially, this seemed like a huge waste of time. After looking back on it, I was able to make myself familiar with the members of the senior center and let them know about the services I'd be offering. Wednesday, July 10th was my first actual day of tech support. I spent my time assisting senior center members Joyce and Betsy. Both were raised and brought up in San Francisco and neither had any experience with modern computers. Betsy had briefly worked as a secretary and had used a typewriter. I started with the absolute basics. I showed them both how to turn the computer on and gave them an introduction to the keyboard and mouse. Joyce, who was slightly older than Betsy, had some trouble using the mouse. Next, we focused on typing in the password. While these actions might seem extremely trivial to the average person nowadays, computers to Joyce and Betsy are essentially foreign objects. Once we were able to get to the desktop, I talked about the Internet in general and the convenience of email. After sending some test emails, I explained the usefulness of Google search. By this point in the session, about 50 minutes had passed. I let both Joyce and Betsy type in any questions they had. It seemed like these two seniors appreciated my guidance and wanted to continue learning. In my opinion, tablets or smartphones would be a lot more easy to use than the Windows desktop computers that currently inhabit the senior center. In the future, I plan to work with Sean to implement devices such as iPads to make technology even more accessible to the members of Sunrise.