Exploring Technology Together: Connecting Generations Through Shared Learning
A treasured old photograph gradually regained its colors as grandparents and grandchildren worked together to scan, restore, and colorize it using AI. The children guided their grandparents through each step on the computer, while the older adults pointed to the screen and shared stories about the people pictured and the moments captured. What began as an effort to preserve a photograph became a chance for the children to discover more about their grandparents’ younger days.
This scene unfolded in the computer classroom at the East District Senior Learning Center in Hsinchu City. Sponsored by the Alpha Networks Education Foundation, the “Grandparents and Grandchildren Explore Technology Together” computer camp was organized by the Hsinchu City Military Dependents’ Village Cultural Development Association and hosted by the center, with guidance from the Hsinchu City Government. One camp was held, recording 17 participant attendances, with three themed modules of three hours each, totaling nine hours. Grandparents and grandchildren learned to verify online information, restore old photographs with AI, and take turns introducing one another to traditional toys and computer games.
Fact or Fiction? Learning to Verify Online Information Together
How can we tell whether something we read online is true? Grandparents and grandchildren began by tracing information to its source and practicing with fact-checking tools. They then competed in teams to see who could find clues to assess its accuracy more quickly. Lively discussions and cheers turned the serious subject of scam prevention into an engaging challenge, helping both generations put the habit of “check before you share” into everyday practice.
Stories Through Time: Restoring Photos with AI and Rediscovering Family Memories
Grandparents brought treasured photographs from home, and their grandchildren helped scan them into digital files before using AI tools to restore and colorize them step by step. As the children explained how to use the new tools, their grandparents shared stories about the people in the photographs and what was happening at the time. A single photograph became a shared resource for learning from one another.
A Gaming Journey Through Time: Taking Turns as Guides, from Traditional Toys to Minecraft
Grandparents introduced the toys they had played with as children, while their grandchildren welcomed them into the world of Minecraft. Working through two-player cooperative challenges, they discussed strategies, divided tasks, and solved puzzles together. Cheers filled the classroom whenever a mission was completed. Alongside hearing about their grandparents’ childhoods, the children had the opportunity to share their own favorite games.
Through its sponsorship, the Alpha Networks Education Foundation supported local learning opportunities for older adults and gave grandparents and grandchildren time to sit side by side and teach one another. A restored photograph and a puzzle solved together became shared achievements—and something to talk about the next time they meet.
