Digital Inclusion Program AcessaSP and the development of digital literacies among elderly population: a case study

Abstract

Contemporary society has built a techno - hybridism centrality that covers all dimensions of life. Being connected is part of digital inclusion public policies in almost every country. In Brazil São Paulo state government has developed, in partnership with School of the Future Research Laboratory at the University of São Paulo a digital inclusion program named AcessaSP that is now 14 years old, dedicated to poor population throughout the state. This paper presents and discusses some results regarding elderly populations uses and practices as users of AcessaSP telecenters. The study was carried out as a comparative survey with statistical data collected in 2008, 2009 and 2012 based on a SPSS database originally developed to provide AcessaSP program with statistical data. Main results so far indicate that behavior, uses, and digital literacies among the elderly population at AcessaSP are increasing, as well as connectivity and digital communication practices. The exponential participation in social networks such as Facebook and the posting of videos on YouTube show a growing and significant appropriation of Web 2.0 tools. The use of chat programs and the creation and updating of blogs, Twitter and other sites are also highly relevant. All the above-mentioned literacies help develop non-linear narratives that are typical of cyberculture, representing the interests and habits of elderly networked actors in Brazil.