"All right, guys. How would we find out what the weather's normally like in Rome ... in May?"
The teacher leans back in his chair and patiently scans the class for raised hands. On the pull-down screen behind him is an open Google tab.
It seems like a simple enough question — for those who grew up with Google. But to this room of senior citizens, it's the central focus of today's discussion about booking vacations online. A couple hands go up in the back.
"Type in keywords. 'Rome,' 'Temperature,' 'May,'" someone says.
See also: This Is What the Next Generation of Engineers Looks Like
The teacher nods in agreement and enters the words into the search box. The students follow along on their computers. After a few seconds of scrolling, someone shouts out the answer: "Rome, Italy, has an average temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius) in May."
"Good," the teacher says, smiling. "Now let's move on to how to use Travelocity."
The Senior Planet Exploration Center is a technology-themed institute for older adults. It opened its doors in New York in January 2013, offering lessons on everything from iPad basics to digital photography to social media. The only requirement for admission? All students must be at least 60 years old.
Tom Kamber, executive director for Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) and founder of Senior Planet, says the center is the first of its kind. Classes are free and run either five or 10 weeks, depending on the subject. In addition to offering classes on location, Kamber and his staff update the website daily with articles and blog posts relevant to seniors.
"Anything that seniors need technology for, they can come here and learn," Kamber says. "We're in the middle of an aging revolution. But we're also in the middle of a technology revolution, and seniors have not yet connected to that."
According to a 2012 Pew Research Center report, more than half of Americans aged 65 and older are using the Internet . A Nielsen report completed in the same year, however, found that while online senior activity is rising, those users are 43% slower at navigating websites and email than users aged 21 to 55. (Some software programs, like Eldy, are specifically geared toward elderly users not familiar with standard web functions.)
The inside of Senior Planet looks and feels like a startup. Up front, computers line up against wood-paneled walls. The back area, where the vacation-booking class is being held, is a walled-off classroom with a dozen or so computers. A few couches, huddled around a flatscreen TV and Nintendo Wii, sit in the left corner. It's busy, too. At least 30 students are present, either in class or working off to the side.
Kamber says he'd ideally like to open up similar centers in cities across the United States. In the meantime, any seniors interested who don't live in the tri-state area can check out the website.
You can stay up-to-date with blog posts and upcoming classes here.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Image by Mashable; Video by Evan Engel