노년층의 정보화 교육의 장애요인에 대한 탐색적 연구

Abstract

21세기 한국사회는 최고의 인프라를 기반으로 본격적 정보화 시대를 살아가고 있다. 정보화는 생산력을 증대시키고 생활수준을 높였으며 다양한 매체를 통해 사람들 간의 원활한 커뮤니케이션을 촉진시키는 등 사회에 많은 긍정적 변화를 가져왔다. 사람들은 정보화 사회에서 많은 정보를 빠르게 접함으로써 의견을 소통하며 여론을 형성하고 정보화 기기를 통해 경제활동을 한다. 이런 본격적 정보화와 함께 21세기의 한국은 빠른 노인인구의 증가에 따른 본격적 고령화 시대로 접어들고 있다. 한국의 고령화 현상은 소득증가에 따른 생활수준의 향상, 의료기술의 발달 및 건강에 대한 관심의 증대 등으로 인한 평균 수명 연장, 여성의 사회 참여 및 출산 기피 현상, 사교육비 부담 증가 등으로 인한 출산율의 급격한 저하, 도시화 및 핵가족화 등에 의해 외국에 비해 빠른 속도로 진행되고 있다. 이렇듯 본격적인 정보화 시대에서 사회에서 정보화되지 않은 채 늘어만 가는 노인 인구들은 오히려 전체 사회의 커뮤니케이션 효율을 감소시킬 수 있다. 이는 세대 간 커뮤니케이션 장벽, 경제능력의 차이를 가져오게 된다. 사회가 고령화되면 인구의 많은 비중을 차지하는 노인 인구에 대한 교육과 세대 간 커뮤니케이션의 필요성은 더욱 중요해진다. 이에 정부는 많은 예산과 인력을 투입하여 전국 공공기관을 통해 노인에 대한 인터넷 및 컴퓨터 교육을 실시하고 있다. 전국의 노인들이 정부와 기업의 인터넷/컴퓨터 교육에 참여하고 있으나 이런 교육 수료인원 및 교육 열기에 비해 실제 노인의 인터넷 이용/활용도는 그리 빠르게 증가하고 있지 않은 것이 사실이다. 노인들의 심리적, 물리적 환경은 다른 세대와 현저한 차이가 있으며 현재 진행되고 있는 교육만으로는 노인들의 특성에 대한 배려가 부족하여 빠른 정보화가 어렵다고 보여 진다. 본 연구에서는 인터넷 교육을 수강하고 있는 노인들의 실제 어려움을 들어보고 그들의 니즈가 무엇인지를 조사해 봄으로써 노인 정보화를 촉진할 수 있는 교육, 인터페이스 개선사항을 알아보고자 하였다.;Korea is one of the most advanced information oriented society in the world with its cutting-edge infrastructure. Information system has been brought many positive changes including the massive communication between people, enhancement of productivity and quality of life. By the help of fast improvement of massive information transformation technology, people could communicate mutually and establish public opinion in the era of information society. Information system has been major enabler of economic activity. With this fast transformation to information society, 21st century Korea is now heading toward aged society with rapid increase of old generation. This phenomenon has been spurred by the improvement of social welfare and standard of living caused by the growth of income and the extension of average life span caused by the advancement of medical treatment technology and increased attention to health. This phenomenon has been also caused by the growth of active women workforce, avoidance of pregnancy, sudden decrease of birth rate caused by incredibly high cost of private education, urbanization and acceleration of nuclear family. By these reasons, Korea is now heading toward aged society much faster than other foreign countries. In the era of information oriented society, the increase of old generation who grew older without having the knowledge about information system, could act as a diminishing factor of the effectiveness of social communication. It will widen the gap of communication between generations and cause the disparity of economic wealth. As the old generation increases, communication between generations and education to grey people who will occupy major portion of population will be more important. Accordingly, government is investing huge money and human capital for education service of computer and internet to old generation by using public institution. Many old person all over the nation are now participating internet and computer education, but the effectiveness of this education which can be measured by the degree of practical use of internet of silver generation is relatively low compared to the passion and number of participant of aged person. Because of huge difference of psychological and physical situation between old people and young people, current education of computer and internet for the old may not achieve the goal which is fast adoption of information system because the education does not care the characteristics of aged people. This paper aimed to know the real difficulty which the old people have been experiencing now and the needs of them by poll and intensive interview. Also this paper tried to know what should be improved in terms of the education and interface improvement to facilitate the aged person’s ability to deal with the internet and computer. By the poll and interview, I could find that the old are suffering from the non-linear arrangement of contents of websites. On the basis of this finding, I would like to propose three suggestions. First, we need to have websites specialized for the old. Websites solely dedicated to the old which consider the eyesight, way of thinking and recognition are needed. Websites with interface which consists of big font, precise menu, simple formation, direct introduction of process and linear navigation are absolutely needed. Secondly, we need to institutionalize the usability guide for the old. The handicapped and the old have different way of recognition, so it is needed to have usability guide which is specialized for the silver netizen. Thirdly, specialized education for the old is needed. Because old people are experiencing failure of memory, intensive and repetitive learning is needed. Sometimes many old people are lacking of self-confidence and they are very timid. So, the prior education to reconcile the self-confidence and bravery will be very effective. In addition to these silver-friendly institutions such as specialized website for the old, we need to diffuse the social atmosphere which facilitate the old people’s use of internet, so that silver internet user should be increased.