Today’s students – K through college –have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using technology seamlessly. They are constantly exposed to and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age. (Prensky, 2001). It is believed that older adults tend to have more negative attitudes toward computer technology than younger people. Younger people might be comfortable with the technology, older adults might be more fearful of it or overwhelmed. I find this in my own family. My 7 year old can easily use all of the televisions in my house, even though they all have a different system for use, where as my mother is only comfortable with the TV that is most like the one in her own house.

Dyck and Smithers found that age-related factors do exist that may inhibit older workers' abilities to use computer technology, such as age-related differences in cognitive processes, memory, and learning styles. In this study older adults (55 years and over) were compared to younger adults (30 years and under) on levels of computer anxiety and computer experience. While older adults were less computer anxious (as measured by both scales), had more positive attitudes toward computers, and had more liking for computers than younger adults, they had less computer experience than younger adults. In contrast, however, older subjects indicated less computer confidence than younger subjects. The limited exposure to and experience with computer technology an older workers' has it may lower their performance in comparison to their younger colleagues (e.g., Dyck and Smither, 1994). As a result these older workers may perceive their value as lower in a high-tech society thereby limiting them. There is little empirical evidence to validate whether, or why, age differences might exist in computer performance. Perhaps these age-related differences in the amount of computer skills acquired can be explained by age-related confidence (or lack of confidence) in operating the computer technology, rather than a direct impact of the aging process. Older workers may report negative beliefs about their ability to operate technology, even though they are quite competent. (Reed et al.) For both younger and older adults, higher levels of computer experience were associated with lower levels of computer anxiety, and a more positive attitude toward computers.

Self efficacy emerged as the single most influential factor. Chronological age alone offers a poor predictor of technical learning capacity. This study revealed a significant negative relationship between age and learning beliefs. It is important to encourage effective learning of all workers, and pay particular attention to the projection of any negative age-related stereotypes in their own methods as well as their organizational culture. Researchers examining older workers' performance should include efficacy beliefs. (reed) Perhaps computer technology just takes getting used to for those who have not grown up with it. Exposure and assisting to create self efficacy can ease some older adults into a more comfortable relationship with technology. There is no doubt that however skilled a person wants to be in technology, they will have to either self train or have some type of formal training. In my district although, the younger teachers are more comfortable with technology, they do not necessarily have more skill than older adults who have had more training. Either way, it seems that training, key to developing computer technology skills.

Dyck, J. L., & Smither, J. A.-A. (1994). Age Differences in Computer Anxiety: the Role of Computer Experience, Gender, and Education. Journal of Educational Computing Research , 10 (3), 239-48.