TreadwayTeachingToUseComputer

Although my dad isn’t all that old, his knowledge of the computer is at about the same level as a first grader. He had always said he wanted to learn to use one so he could eventually create an eBay account, but had never got around to it. Since I am near a computer almost every day, I decided to help him out. The first step in the process was to teach him how to turn on the computer and log in. Since that requires pressing a button and simply clicking an icon, this part came easily. Next he had to learn to pull up the Internet, which also didn’t take much pain. I showed him how to type in a URL (in this case, //ebay.com//) which took a little while, but we managed. From there, the process got tougher and tougher. Before we could start anything, we had to register him, which he wanted nothing to do with because he felt as though he was “giving away too much personal information.” I then had to show him the process of putting an item up for bidding, and so on. To any college, high school, or even middle school student this seems all too simple, but for someone who has touched a computer twice in his life, it was challenging.

**--To what learning styles does the lesson you were trying to teach seem to appeal (for instance, shooting baskets might appeal most to Kinesthetic and Interpersonal intelligences)?** Spatial and Interpersonal

**--In terms of multiple intelligences, what were the strengths and struggles of the person you were trying to teach? How did this help or hinder your efforts?** Due to the fact that my dad can’t usually follow simple direction without forgetting some detail, he is a very visual (or Spatial) learner. Rather than simply telling him what to do, I sat down and showed him step-by-step how to get on the computer and use eBay. This removed any room for error and provided him with a visual imprint in his mind that would help him remember in the future. Although this process took Spatial learning, it took Interpersonal learning even more. Interpersonal learning takes two or more people, and requires clear communication as to what needs to be done. My job was to influence him towards his goal, learning to use the computer, and to help him with any problems he was having. This went surprisingly well, except for some minor miscommunications along the way. My dad tends to get frustrated easily, so if he was confused or clicked the wrong link he would get annoyed with me. His frustration, at times, led to my frustration, and then we would simply get annoyed with one another. It was then my job to realize this was a brand new thing to him, so I had to empathize and simply show him where he made his mistakes.

**--What evidence did you have that the person had learned the lesson? In terms of multiple intelligences, what form(s) did that evidence take?** The very day I taught my dad to use the computer, he seemed to grasp the whole concept pretty well. To make sure he recovered his knowledge the next day, I made him get on and show me how to get on his account without my help. With some slight errors and a bit of patience, he got through it without much assistance. The evidence that showed he had acquired a knowledge for computers came through his Spatial learning style, because he was able to recover the pictures, icons, and other visuals he had seen the previous day. Overall, I think my job as a computer teacher was a success.