Tech Talk Academy
It’s also available free of charge and spreading like wild fire.
Four times a week, anyone, anywhere can attend one of Cox’s very popular webinars. To sign up, users fill out a simple form at http://www.TechTalkAmerica.com. An e-mail is sent to subscribers once a week with a list of all the classes offered for that particular week. Registering for a class is as easy as clicking on the name of the class. A confirmation e-mail gives each Tech Talk student a unique link to click at the time of the webinar. Within a few seconds, hundreds of seniors suddenly can see and hear Cox as he shows them right on their own screen how to do everything from basics like e-mail and web browsing, to advanced techniques like video editing and website development.
When a user has a question, a simple chat window allows anyone to submit it instantly to the teacher.
So why would a service that appeals to millions of technophobic seniors be free?
“Our goal isn’t to get rich. Our goal is to create a following and a resource for people. We’d rather have a sold-out class of enthusiastic students over a few people who had the money to pay for it any day,” said Gallant who himself has taken several of Cox’s webinars.
In only the last few weeks, Tech Talk Academy has seen an explosion of members as more and more seniors share the service with their friends.
“To our knowledge, our youngest member is 11 and our oldest is about to turn 93. She just joined Facebook, plays online blackjack, and enjoys Skyping her grandkids,” said Cox.
What is possibly the most impressive aspect of Cox and Gallant’s invention is their uncanny ability to identify a public need and then create a solution to meet that need. As more and more seniors leave the idea of retirement homes and flock towards independent living communities, technologies like E-Mail, Skype, and the Internet become a pathway towards maintaining a lifestyle of independence.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
