Tim Riley MeCCSA 2014 presentation - Self-created digital content sharing in retirement In the United Kingdom the retired population is rising and statistics show that growth in the use of digital technologies and the internet are also increasing within this age group. However a polarised view of this age range has emerged as either a ‘tech-savvy’ ‘silver surfer’ web user or a fearful, ‘digitally dismissive’ reticent nonuser. This suggests an oversimplified perception of the over-65s, a section of society often ignored in qualitative internet research, and overlooks growing numbers who are using digital technology and the internet for something more than to search and consume online goods and materials. Through the use of qualitative research interviews this paper presents an insight into a small but significant section of retirees who are using the internet to share self-created digital content. Self-created content, in the context of this research, is defined as an arrangement of visual and/or audio material that requires some element of composition or editing. Participants revealed that they were self-initiated in their uptake of post-retirement education. Nonetheless, the acquisition of digital technology skills were often learnt unintentionally and as a consequence of embracing a new interest in retirement or the rediscovery of an old one that they may not have been able to explore prior to retirement. This presentation addresses how retired web users deploy self-created content sharing practices to communicate online and their motivations for engaging in these practices. Practices of this kind are of importance for individuals’ self-expression and participation in an increasingly digitalised world.

1. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
MeCCSA 2014
8th
January 2014
Tim Riley
University of Westminster
Self-created digital content sharing in retirement

2. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
1. Creating and publishing of digital content is no longer the
preserve of the professional.
2. Increase in participative media production where users are
more actively, responsively, and inclusively engaged.
3. Little is known of the content creation and sharing practices of
the adults the UK (particularly +65).
4. Terms such as ‘digital natives’ (Prensky, 2001) and the ‘digital’
and ‘net generation’ (Tapscott, 1999; 2008) appear too
simplistic and ignore the diversity of all internet users.
Context

3. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Background
• UK population is ageing
• Set to continue as ‘baby boomers’ reach retirement
• Living alone
• Lack of mobility
• Issues of care

4. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Office for National Statistics (2012) Chapter 4: Mortality, 2010-based NPP Reference Volume
Background

5. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Office for National Statistics (2012) Chapter 4: Mortality, 2010-based NPP Reference Volume
Background

6. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Internet access 2013
•83% of households have internet access
•73% of adults accessing the Internet everyday
Source: Office for National Statistics – Internet Access - Households and individuals 2013.
Recent UK Survey Statistics

7. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Recent UK Survey Statistics

8. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
+65 digital proficiency
An oversimplified perception and polarised view of this age
range has emerged.
(Gorard and Selwyn, 2008)
Either:
A ‘silver surfer’ as an older ‘tech-savvy’ web user
(Martin, 2007)
or
A fearful, reticent nonuser - ‘digitally dismissive’
(Morris and Brading, 2007)
Gorard, S. & Selwyn, N. (2008), The Myth of the Silver Surfer. Adults Learning, 19:5, pp. 28–30.
Martin, N. (2007), Silver surfers take over the internet. Telegraph Media Group Limited
Morris, A. & Brading, H. (2007), E-literacy and the grey digital divide: a review with recommendations. Journal of Information Literacy, 1:3.

9. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
+65 digital proficiency
Raban and Brynin argue that:
“aging is not a one-dimensional process [and] it would be
wrong to assume that only the young have learning curves,
even if they move along these curves faster” (2006:43)
“a large proportion of older people are ready to adopt new
technologies and have positive attitudes towards technology”
(2006:48)
Raban, Y. & Brynin, M. (2006), Older People and New Technologies. In: Kraut, R., Brynin, M. & Kiesler, S. (eds.)
Computers, Phones, and the Internet. New York: Oxford University Press.

10. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Criteria and themes
• Vernacular creativity (outside a professional framework)
• Creating digital content (not necessarily ‘user-generated
content’)
• Sharing self-created digital content
• Motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic)

11. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Definition
Content creation in the context of this research is defined as:
An arrangement of visual and/or audio material that
requires some element of composition or editing that
has been created outside of a professional framework.
Digital text is not included in this definition, other than its association to the visual and/or audio
content. The inclusion of digital text would make analysis of content too broad.

12. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Types of digital content
• Digitally created
• Remediate from analogue to digital
• Digitised physical content to digital
• Digital remix
• Remix of digitised analogue and digital content
• Remix of digitised physical and digital content
• Remix of digitised analogue, physical and digital content
• Redacted or re-edited digital
• Redacted or re-edited analogue content
Content Creation in Context

13. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Content Creation in Context

14. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Methodology
Age bands of this study
+65 (retired)
Sample
12 participants
already engaged in digital content creation and sharing
Qualitative methods
Interviews: face-to-face, semi-structured, open-ended and conversational

15. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Sampling
•Theoretical sampling – based on their relevance to the
research.
•Random sampling would have been unlikely to have located
participants already engaged in the creating and sharing of
digital content
Recruiting participants:
Criteria for recruitment of participants required that data was
sourced from individuals already engaged in digital content
creation and sharing.

16. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Sampling
• Internet: content sharing websites, social media platforms, Social network
site, email, forums, internet searches
• Telephone: personal one-to-one telephone calls
• Educational establishments: universities, colleges
• Introductions though events: meet-up groups, organisations (U3A)
Interviews:
•Face-to-face semi-structured audio recorded (1 via Skype using two-way
camera).
•Length varied from 30mins to 80mins.

17. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Participant data

18. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Key areas of concern
1. Acquiring skills and knowledge of digital domain
(re-education).
2. Content creation.
3. Sharing self-created content.
4. Motivation for creating and sharing.

19. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Key areas of concern
Bill:
“When you retire if you don’t do something you
probably vegetate.”

20. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
More free time -
Gave the majority of the participants the freedom and
opportunity to either:
•Renew an interest or suppressed ambition from earlier in
life, which work and/or raising a family had restricted them
from doing.
or
•Adopt new interests through re-education in universities,
colleges or groups, such as the University of the Third Age
(U3A).
+65 Re-education

21. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
+65 Re-education
All participants undertook some form of post-retirement
education.
•Self-initiated re-education in retirement
•University, college, distance learning, organisations (U3A)
All participants created visual content and published to:
•A personal blog
•Video sharing sites
•Photo sharing sites

22. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
+65 Re-education
1. Participants were self-initiated in their uptake of post-
retirement education.
• This enabled them to acquire skills necessary to
rediscover and explore (creative) interests they were
unable to partake earlier in life.
• Due to constraints of working, family life or through being
discouraged at an early age by family members or
institutions.

23. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
+65 Re-education
2. For some, post-retirement education helps extend or
transfer physical world interests they were already engaged
in, such as painting or drawing, to a digital form and for
sharing.
3. For some, introduction to the digital domain was an
unintended consequence of post-retirement education
• This often came via interest in subjects such as
photography or astronomy, where introduction to digital
technology or software was necessary for successful
completion and progression.

24. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
+65 Re-education
4. For some, knowledge attained from formal education led them
to adopt ‘trial and error’ learning as a way to gain a higher
proficiency of digital technology.
• Several complained there were very few intermediate
software courses available to them.
• Participants adopted learning through online peer
knowledge transfer.

25. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Content creation
Digital Photography:
•Introductory gateway content creation medium.
•Ease of use – compared to the ridged nature and processes
associated with analogue photography.
•Introduction to editing and compositing software packages,
such as Adobe Photoshop.
•Encouraged creative experimentation with layout,
composition and layering.

26. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
www.youtube.com/user/geriatric1927
Content creation

27. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
geriatric1927
First video – August 4th
2006
As of 1st
January 2014
41,716 subscribers
9,254,830 video views
430 videos
Content creation

28. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Content creation
Blogs and websites:
•Creation and management of websites as a hobby (through
membership of an organisation e.g. farmers market or geological
society).
•Local and global in reach.
•Altruistic.
•Encouraged the publishing of remediated non-digital content
(drawings, paintings).
•Introduction to community and sharing that accompanied
having a blog.

29. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Content creation
• Artistic self-expression.
• Sense of achievement.
• Creative satisfaction.
• Confidence.

30. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Sheila:
“I’m retired. I live on my own [but] I just feel closer to
people and I don’t feel alone.”
June:
“I am less alone and I can share what I create and I can
discover others work and they can discover me and I can
pass it on.”
Content sharing

31. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Content sharing
The adoption or transfer of vernacular creative practices to
the internet afforded greater modes of communication and
content sharing opportunities.
•Helped connect participants to local and non-local
communities and special interest/niche groups.
•Helped connect to local interest groups and engage
physically in social activities.
•Helped bring closer ties between friends and community,
and linked health, mobility and knowledge.
•Helped combat loneliness through sharing and
communication.

32. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Motivation to create and share content
Jane:
“It makes you feel good when someone says they really
like your picture so that is definitely a motivation for
sharing it.”

33. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Motivation to create and share content
• Rediscovery or adoption of creative practices.
• Ability to connect with an niche online communities (both
location and non-location based)
• Receive and give feedback (which helps build creative self-
confidence).
• Learning through social interaction (both online and offline).
• Altruism.

34. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Conclusion
• Recognition of the diversity of knowledge of over 65s – career
experiences, hobbies, access to technologies and education.
• Value of sharing self-created content.
• Encourages less phatic communication due to discussions and
conversations about content and practice.
• May help combat issues of issues of loneliness, social and
physical isolation, and lack of mobility as number of retired
citizens increases.

35. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Self-created digital content sharing in retirement
tim@timrileydigital.com
@timfrantic
Thank you