The “Grandparents On-line. Everyone’s Young at the Post Office” lessons for grandparents and students were an intense training session. Over-65s conquered the mouse and searched for songs, stories and personalities on Google. They improved their touch on tablets and smartphones. The students discovered what hard work is, but also the satisfaction of teaching, making knowledge simple and becoming the reference point for an adult.
Many grandparents and tutors have tried to document their success, uniting the points of view of those born immersed in a culture of technology and those who have discovered it more recently, one innovation at a time.
At the Itet Aldo Capitini School in Perugia, grandparents and tutors produced a sped-up video of the lessons with a dance music soundtrack.
From Cagliari, we received a live video of activities with interviews and a padlet, a virtual bulletin board where participants can leave notes, videos and photos on their course.
In Catania and Taranto, senior and junior student groups gave life to real web portal news desks.
Insiemenonnienipoti is a blog created by students at ITI Marconi during the Grandparents On-line Course. It contains stories, photos and voices. A collection of words that “allow us to leave the cocoons that we unconsciously create to defend our sentiments,” as explained on the homepage of the blog.
Giovani di ieri, giovani di oggi, instead, is the website managed by students at IIS Pacinotti in Taranto. It contains news, poems, old games, recipes, and cartoons. It’s the perfect synthesis between the technological competences of the young and the knowledge of traditions of the over- 65s.
Last, but not least, Ms. Anna Maria Baruzzi, a grandma from Genoa, was inspired by the students to write poems and short stories. Here is an excerpt from her final acknowledgments:
As far as I’m concerned, I lived this period as a student, with my desk and the honour of having Martina, as a private IT teacher. This short joint experience has been very joyful, both in terms of learning about computers, which I only used to use like a typewriter, and the time I spent with these fantastic young men and women, not to mention the many spontaneous laughs caused by misunderstanding some term that soared like kites and resounded in the labs. However, the part I cherish the most is the typical gentleness of a grandma. […] Nothing is forever, other than what remains in our souls. And you are there. I will remember your smiling faces and our work together as a gentle echo of love.
