Computer Classes Offered For the “Fifty-Plus” Age Group

 If you’ve ever envied your children for their ease at using a computer, you might not have to sit on the sidelines any longer.

A new computer program designed for students 50 years old or older specializes in working with mature beginners. Called “Fifty-Plus: Fun With Computers,” the program caters to students with little or no computer experience.

"The ‘fifty-plus’ age group is the largest age group that is untrained on computers,” said Ingrid Tugwell, president of Productivity, Solutions, Training (PST), which administers the program. “Young people learn to use computers in school, but few outlets specifically address the needs of older students.”

“Fifty-Plus” classes maintain a slow, easy pace and are taught by instructors highly experienced in working with this age group, Tugwell said.

Students can select from several three-hour classes, including computer basics, emailing letters and photos, designing their own greeting cards, and surfing the Internet. Classes meet weekdays and Saturdays.

PST became the first Microsoft-certified training center in Charleston in 1994 and has since trained more than 40,000 Charleston-area residents on computers. Contact PST at 529-0098 or visit www.trainwithpst.com.

The following classes begin in May and June:

• Introduction to Personal Computers: Students learn the basics of operating a computer, including working with disks and drives, saving their work and more.

• Email: Students discover the magic of emailing letters and photos of weddings, family reunions, vacations and other special events.

• Customized Greeting Cards, Calendars and More: Students create and send customized birthday, Christmas, get-well and thank you cards.

• Surfin’ the Internet: Students get a taste of the vast amount of information on the Internet by researching everything from plane reservations to public records, including what’s out there about them!                                                  ###