2 min.
Grandparents on the Internet (GoI) courses are kicking off throughout Italy for the 2014-15 school year. The thirteenth edition of GoI features the largest ever team of knowledge volunteers and adult students, as well as new regions, such as Friuli Venezia Giulia.
From Agrigento to Gorizia, under the supervision of tutors, the children teach the elders to use a computer and discover Word, YouTube, search engines, whilst the young teachers absorb the elders’ experiences and wisdom.
In fact, the elder students often interrupt the lesson to tell the students stories and anecdotes about history and art. Other times, it’s the young teachers who interrupt their students to test their newly acquired knowledge.
“It may seem absurd, but many have problems using a mouse and understanding how it works,” explains Markee, a knowledge volunteer at his third consecutive year.
However, notwithstanding obstacles and barriers, the elders are well aware of the value of what they are learning. Luciano Marcucci, class of 39, studies at the Istituto Torricelli: “The course is great! If we don’t learn about technology, we risk complete exclusion. I think that in about five years’ time, computers will no longer exist. Who knows what we will have.”
