The aim of this master's thesis was to conduct a scoping review of the existing literature on methods of internet skills learning and acquisition among older adults to determine whether there are any differences in learning according to different types of internet skills. Between October and December 2020, a literature search was conducted in five bibliographic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, ACM digital library, IEEE Xplore, and PubMed) with a review of identified scientific articles published in English. Title, abstract and full-text screening resulted in 62 eligible units. Among them, 15 articles, reporting on 18 studies addressing learning methods among older adults, were assessed as eligible for the scoping review. The results showed two main directions scholars have used when researching internet skills acquisition among older adults: (1) the first one recognized as “intervention studies” and (2) the second identified as “non-intervention studies”. Next, our results suggested that older adults use various formal and informal methods of internet skills acquisition. Besides extensive and comprehensive insights into internet skills learning motivation, limitations, and overall factors the findings also point out that internet skills acquisition methods among older adults are still underresearched and provide several conceptual and knowledge gaps that warrant further exploration.
|