DATE:    11/21/02
CONTACT: Dale Layfield, (864) 656-5676; dlayfie@clemson.edu
WRITER:  Diane Palmer, (864) 656-4741; spalmer@clemson.edu

Clemson students teach computers 
to retirement center residents 

     CLEMSON -- In today's new world of high technology and computers a
lot of senior citizens are being left behind.
     However, senior citizens from Clemson Downs Retirement Center are
keeping up, thanks to a Clemson University professor and his students.
     Dale Layfield, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology
Instruction and the students of Agricultural Applications of
Microcomputers are teaching the residents new computer skills.
     "This project has been the most rewarding activity that I have
engaged in during my time as a faculty member at Clemson," Layfield
said.
     The residents are learning how to surf the Internet, scan photos,
take digital photographs, use word processing programs and do many
other new things.
     The classes are part of a project called "Joining Wisdom with
Youth through Bits and Bytes: Computer Skills Development through
Intergenerational Service Learning."
     A Clemson University van is used to transport the residents to the
university computer lab each week. Fifteen Clemson students teach the
10 residents. The students in turn learn life lessons from the
residents.
     This project was recently awarded Commendations of Excellence in
Service Learning from the Commission on Higher Education.
     The project first started in the Fall of 2000.
                              END