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JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
experience with a PC. If seniors want to work with a keyboard,
they should know the keys Alt, Ctrl, Delete, Backspace, space
bar or Caps Lock. Later, when working with the internet, seniors
should be informed about the rules of using the internet and web
browser, switching between separate windows and copying
websites' contents in other applications. They should also know
the work with electronic communication (e-mails), funny
servers, e-authorities and e-shops (Sikorski, 2013).
Educational activities aimed at developing seniors` digital skills
must provoke positive emotions and create a friendly work
environment. Supporting atmosphere reduces stress and, in this
way, it can indirectly influence the efficiency of the teaching-
learning process (Tomczyk, 2015).
Stress represents one of the most significant barriers that hinder
seniors from acquiring education in the ICT field. The research
confirmed that evaluation of seniors-learners provokes much
worse results than in situations when their knowledge is not
verified. Fear from exams is quite frequent in learning PC work.
Franken (2006) thinks that the cause of this fear lies in excessive
concentration on oneself, which often disables the task's correct
fulfilment. However, this fear can also derive from a previous
negative experience in the field of institutionalised education. Its
cause can also be worry that seniors will not remember all the
information necessary for handling modern electronic devices
(Szpunar, 2013, in: Tomczyk, 2015).
Digital skills represent the way to a higher level of socialisation
and interest in the surrounding world. They also help them keep
in touch with family and friends, that is highly up-to-date in the
Coronavirus pandemic in 2020. For this reason, it is
indispensable so that the digital skills issue also finds its
application in residential facilities in the form of leisure
education.
2.2 Civic engagement
The area of civic education of seniors in residential conditions
has its specific features. Health condition, environment and
conditions provided in facilities do not allow seniors to
participate in public life to such an extent as seniors living in the
home environment. Despite this fact, we decided to include this
topic in our article because it is crucial to lead this group of
seniors to civic engagement and social life participation.
The civic competence is defined as “an ability to act as a
responsible citizen, and fully participate in civic and social life.
This participation aims at the knowledge of social, economic,
legal and political concepts and structures., Other important
factors are understanding the worldwide development and
sustainability“
(Odporúčania, 2018, p.10).
The general objective of civic education is to form active
citizens and lead them to support democracy and human rights
(O’Shea, 2012). In addition to the main objective, there are also
secondary objectives. We should fulfil them with civic education
tools, such as participation, partnership, social cohesion,
responsibility, the same approach, equality and solidarity
(O’Shea, 2012).
We agree with the educational objectives of civic education
defined by Veldhuis (1997, in Sládkayová, 2019). He classifies
them in the following way:
political objectives – knowledge of the political system,
democratic attitudes, participating experience,
cultural objectives – knowledge of the cultural heritage and
history, primary skills (language competence, reading,
writing),
social objectives - knowledge of social relationships in
society, social skills,
professional-vocational training, economic skills – related
to work performance and other economic activities.
All the mentioned objectives should stimulate citizens` active
participation in civic society and political decisions within
constitutional democracy (Veldhuis, 1997, in: Sládkayová,
2019).
Except for professional-vocational training and economic skills,
it is possible to apply all mentioned objectives to seniors living
in residential facilities. We can assess and support their civic
activity by chosen civic engagement ways:
use of their voting rights in democratic elections – we
evaluate whether and how seniors involve in deciding
about elected representatives in municipal, national or
European politics. They can vote directly from their facility
where they live – representatives of the municipal electoral
commission will bring them transmissible ballot boxes,
participation in petitions – involvement in protest or
support petitions with their signature or filling in the online
form,
participation in deciding about their surroundings – they
can participate in planning or voting about projects
supported by the municipal or regional budget,
interest in political issues – they read newspapers, watch
TV news, and political debates on the current situation –
these are other options that help us observe the seniors`
civic engagement level.
The basis for assessment or motivation to seniors’ civic
engagement in residential facilities can also be indicators of
active citizenship and citizenship education, defined in the study
Indicators for Monitoring Active Citizenship and Citizenship
Education (DeWeerd et al., 2005).
The following activities represent indicators of active
citizenship:
voluntary activity in the organisation – we can include here
voluntary activities in the facility performed by this target
group,
organised activities for the community – similarly, a
community represents here other inhabitants of the given
residential facility,
participation in elections,
membership in a political party – active membership in the
structures of a political party. However, seniors in
residential facilities do not have many possibilities for this
activity,
participation in an interest group – e.g. an active
involvement in the parish (participation in masses or
charity activities),
non-violent forms of protest – expressing dissatisfaction
mainly in the form of petitions,
participation in public debates – seniors do not usually
have created conditions for this activity in social services
facilities (DeWeerd et al., 2005).
Social workers, or at best, social andragogues working in
residential facilities for seniors, should lead their clients to civic
participation in society. Although this target group has fewer
possibilities than other groups, we cannot stop looking for ways
to support the development of their civic competences and their
active community involvement.
2.3 Religious educational activities
As the last educational activity for seniors, we decided to present
their spiritual and religious activities. In seniors’ leisure time,
these activities play a significant role in their experience and
participation in social activities.
Stríženec (2007) defines the concept of spirituality, and he says
that, nowadays, it is not possible to equate the inner and spiritual
life because we perceive here the spiritual life in a broader sense
(without a direct relationship to the Holy Spirit, as it is in
Christianity). Similarly, we cannot describe spirituality
independently from people who experience it.
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