If I were to write a book about Facebook targeted at 40-60 year olds, I would explain it in terms that they are familiar with, at the same time, make sure that they understand its capabilities and its function as a social network. Orlikowksi (1992) explains that “when confronted with a new technology, individuals try to understand it in terms of their existing technological frames.” I would describe Facebook as an interactive online yearbook where users can get in touch with others they lost contact with. However, explaining just that would not help them understand the possibilities and social networks that could not exist before Facebook.
For older generation to interact effectively with Facebook, their existing technological frames need to be modified. Their modification is influenced by communication and education related to Facebook (Orlikowksi, 1992). Explicit information about how Facebook can be used to get in touch with others and how it is different from other mediums such as email would help them understand Facebook's capabilities. I would explain that Facebook extends yearbook in that it includes yearbooks of their acquaintances, and further international ones. Facebook is interactive in that users can create and/or edit their profile, and post pictures and videos to share with others. It would also encourage formation of groups and events. Training would be helpful for them to explore Facebook’s possibilities.
I would design the training that is intuitive and group-oriented. Rather than focusing on the personal use of the site, such as learning how to write on others’ walls or post pictures, I would provide training as a group activity. First, I would let them register as users and ask them to find each other and add as friends on Facebook. I would also explain that finding a person on Facebook is similar to finding a person in a yearbook in that they need to search the person by name, and then find the person with the matched information they know. Once they have added each other on Facebook, I would encourage them to use walls, message box, profiles and applications to communicate to each other. This would allow them to see Facebook as a medium for socializing, rather than a complicated new technology that is time-consuming to learn.
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Your method of training is a good one. Facebook is almost completely useless as an individual tool, so it helps to have a group of users learn together. This is especially true with the older generation because older users do not currently have many others to reach out to on Facebook (this demographic has not yet reached critical mass on Facebook yet, so network effects cannot come into play). Therefore, without group training it would take much longer for older users to acquire the same technological frames that younger users can form quickly and on-the-fly.
ReplyDeleteI really like that you describe Facebook as an "interactive online yearbook". That's such a unique and clever way to describe it, and I think 40-60 year olds would definitely understand the analogy. I also liked that you are focusing on the group aspect of Facebook, rather than the individual aspect. This should make it easier and more fun for your participants to learn. And I think that it will highlight the collaborative benefits of Facebook. (It also goes along with the "yearbook" theme! ^_^)
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