Information literacy of elderly: a prototype headed to their information needs

Abstract

The main objective of the research is to structure a technological resource to meet the information needs of a vulnerable group, here characterized as the elderly population, contemplating the specific objectives that are: to identify, from the literature, technological resources and prototypes for use on mobile devices; to describe, also in the literature, the stages of the development of information literacy in the elderly, and, specifically, through the use of available technologies; and, finally, to create a prototype for mobile devices (smartphones) in order to meet the possible information needs of the said group. The absence of the set of digital attitudes and skills can have a profound effect on people’s quality of life and lifelong learning. Hence the urgency of information literacy and its driving force in lifelong learning in order to provide socially and socially inclusive groups with real and effective social/digital inclusion. In an optimistic way, it is conjectured that the technologies, together with the information literacy, are able to promote the increase of the self-esteem of groups, communities and people, including the reduction in the situation of social vulnerability and the promotion of inputs in light of the needs of everyday information. The importance of including this social group in such context will possibly enable new and prosperous social relations. Promoting the inclusion of older people in relation to technologies can be a timely way for active, citizen and democratic participation in contemporaneity, in addition to the effectiveness of the social role of Information Science.