Information technology in workplaces: Computer learning strategies by elderly workers

Changing workplace demands are calling for a wide range of skills and competences from the workforce.Previous studies have focused on the identification of knowledge and skills that individuals need to successfully adapt to changing work environment (Daley, 1997; Kozlowski, 1995). These changing technology in the office have resulted in many new learning strategies needed by elderly office workers.A relatively unexamined area of investigation concerns the nature of senior office workers adopting the technology in their office job.The questions to be answered in this research are: What were the learning strategies used by elderly workers towards computer technology? This research was carried out qualitatively.Selected seventh elderly office workers will be interviewed and their responses will be recorded, transcribed, interpreted, and analyzed based on the theme(s) of the research. Data are collected through an in-depth, openended interview method.The criteria for selecting the participants are their length of service in organization especially in the office, ages, and their gender.Participants were elderly office workers who work for at least 15 years from variety of departments in Universiti Teknologi MARA, Terengganu.This research also found that there are two methods or strategies that are used by the elderly office workers in learning the computer technology.The first strategy is to learn it informally and the second method is to learn it through formal training or courses.