CVCOA Senior Planet Technology Courses

Imagine you’re walking through a charming Vermont downtown. You notice a strange squiggly black and white symbol you’ve never seen before. It keeps appearing throughout your walk. You ask a couple people about it, but no one seems to know what you’re talking about.  

I remember feeling this way when QR codes first appeared, which was back in 2010. As a late smartphone adopter, I didn’t try scanning one until 2015 or so. And then, there was the issue of whether or not your phone knew how to read them. 

Aside: if you’re wondering, like I was, QR stands for “quick response.”  

When COVID hit, they grew more popular as restaurants developed new ways for patrons to order without touching a menu. Necessity led to many who had never scanned one of the black and white boxes using their phone cameras to try. 

All of this is to say:  

Some of us are still learning what QR codes are and how to use them! And here at CVCOA, we have the amazing Meredith Holch to guide you in your technology journey. She has been described as a teacher who is “wonderful, patient, [and] kind.” Meredith leads a variety of Senior Planet classes and workshops, including one 5-week series called “Intro to Digital Culture.” In a recent course, two participants commented on their new abilities to understand and use QR codes.  

One participant noted, “I came to this class with little knowledge of using the internet. I was not comfortable, thinking I would press something and not know how to get out of it. This class has given me the confidence to try.” 

In the illustration we began with, Meredith joins you on your walk. She says something like, “Aren’t those little icons funny? Want to see what you can do with them?” And she takes out her phone or tablet to share what’s she learned with you. 

During August and September we’re offering two courses, iPad Essentials and Intro to Digital Culture. If you would like to participate in an upcoming technology training session, call our Helpline at 802-477-1364 or visit https://cvcoa.org/senior-planet.