Free Online Classes For Montgomery County Seniors: April 20-23

GERMANTOWN, MD — Montgomery County seniors can take free online classes to learn how to better navigate life at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Senior Planet Montgomery, the county's technology training program for residents 60 and older, typically offers lectures, hands-on workshops, and multi-week courses at libraries and senior centers. But during this public health crisis, Senior Planet Montgomery is moving all its programming online.

Many of the online sessions will focus on online user-friendly tools and resources for seniors.

"More Montgomery County seniors are online than ever before," said Montgomery County Chief Information Officer Gail M. Roper. "The Senior Planet Montgomery programs provide a means for them to get more out of their internet availability, and we hope, more out of life overall. We have programs that are geared specifically to support the way seniors learn best — which makes so many things easier to understand."

Classes change on a weekly basis. From April 20 to 23, participants will learn how to spot fake news, protect their personal information online, and more.

Courses are also offered in Spanish.

Take a look:

How to Spot Fake News

• When: Tuesday, April 20, 12:45-1:45 p.m.
• Description: This lecture will provide a helpful explanation for the increase in the use of the term fake news, as well as give you some tools to evaluate news sources. We'll also review popular fact-checking sites.

Tech and Energy

• When: Tuesday, April 20, 3-4 p.m.
• Description: Learn about the top energy users in the home and how to spend less money on energy. Learn how internet-connected smart plugs, power-strips, and ENERGY STAR appliances use less energy.

How to Choose a New Computer

• When: Thursday, April 22, 4-5 p.m.
• Description: Session addresses some of the most common questions surrounding how to choose a new computer. Also addresses technical specifications.

Protecting Your Personal Information Online

• When: Friday, April 23, 2-3 p.m.
• Description: This presentation will cover the ins and outs of how to protect your personal information online. We'll cover tips for staying safe in cyberspace, like safe browsing, how to recognize online scams, and when it's OK — or not — to share your personal information online.

Click here to learn more about Senior Planet Montgomery and its virtual program offerings. You can also call and email the group at 240-753-0676 and mocoinfo@seniorplanet.org.