NYSOFA and AgingNY partner with GetSetUp to offer classes to older adults across the state and to cosmopolitan learners like Lotus

Liz Miller

NYSOFA and AgingNY partner with GetSetUp to offer classes to older adults across the state and to cosmopolitan learners like Lotus

The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) has partnered with The Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY) and GetSetUp to offer 50,000 classes, featuring more than 300 different options developed by and for older adults. GetSetUp classes and community help combat social isolation and promote independence through live, interactive classes and online connectivity with a community of more than 650,000 older adult learners from more than 160 countries around the globe. Guides and instructors are retired professionals who promote economic empowerment and healthy lifestyles. Through GetSetUp older adults learn by doing, not just watching, and learners are encouraged to actively participate.

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NYSOFA and AgingNY partner with GetSetUp to offer classes to older adults across the state and to cosmopolitan learners like Lotus
NYSOFA and AgingNY partner with GetSetUp to offer classes to older adults across the state and to cosmopolitan learners like Lotus
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NYSOFA and AgingNY partner with GetSetUp to offer classes to older adults across the state and to cosmopolitan learners like Lotus
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Learning that meets the needs of cosmopolitan learners like Lotus

Lotus reads The New York Times religiously.  So when she saw an article about GetSetUp - she made sure to check it out!

“I’m a devotee of online learning. I loved the article so went right to the site to learn more.”

As she went through the class offerings, she was looking for opportunities that appealed to her interest in crafts.

“Learning calligraphy was on my list of things to do in my retirement. So when I saw your Calligraphy class I knew that was the perfect one to start.”

She enjoyed the fact that there were additional resources suggested at the end of the class. Now she is set up and prepared to practice. She’s excited to really dive into the joy of penmanship through calligraphy.

Lotus also bought a number of manuals to learn how to use her Android phone a bit better. So when she saw Using Your Android Smartphone, she saw this as a short circuit way to get some of her questions answered.

This class and other classes like Using your Google Tools and Windows 10 have helped teach Lotus a number of useful things.

“When you look at the menu it’s confusing. I didn’t know how to navigate it so I found the Windows 10 class very helpful. It doesn’t seem so daunting after that.”

Lotus stays pretty busy in New York City with her social schedule so she can’t make every session the first time she sees it.

“It’s nice that you keep repeating classes, so I have other chances to take classes that interest me but might not work in my schedule initially.”

She finds the ease of picking when classes fit best in her schedule perfect for the cosmopolitan New Yorker like herself.

Bite-size classes with optional add-ons

For the past 40 years, Lotus has worked in University-based Learning Centers helping students refine their learning strategies. She’s also a long-time volunteer in a program aimed at helping high school students prepare for college entrance exams. Her experiences have spanned generations,  and have shown her first-hand how each generation approaches learning. Her work has given her a deep interest in education and helping children navigate learning challenges.

She herself has enjoyed a number of Coursera and Edx courses around computer science and math classes.

“I like GetSetUp classes because they are a bit lighter. That doesn’t make them frivolous. Rather they offer first-rate classes in bite-size chunks. I can pick just what I need. I don’t have to sign up for multiple sessions at once or commit too many days if I don’t want to. Plus the range of classes is astounding.”

She also finds it helpful that she can request the recordings of classes she has attended. This way she can refer back to these classes and brush up on her skills. Compared to other online learning platforms, she likes the informality of GetSetUp sessions.  Lotus enjoys hearing other people’s journeys in life through the class discussions.

“Classes feel comfortable. It’s easy to chime in because they have a relaxed feel to them. I think it’s nice to hear other people’s journeys and share in the sessions.”

She has recommended GetSetUp to a friend who has been a little intimidated by online interaction. Lotus thinks the different levels of participation may make it easier for her. Since learners can use chat, voice, or camera they can build up their confidence with the digital community at their own pace.

Now that Lotus is retired, she’s enjoying picking up skills like sewing again. Though she continues to hone her teaching skills for her volunteer work, she takes the opportunity to learn ways to virtually engage her students, whenever possible.

“Everyone is learning the boundaries of Zoom. This 2-D experience is having to compensate for the real-life experience. People have such great ideas that are fantastically creative to make it as interactive as possible.”

Join Lotus and other GetSetUp learners to see how you can take your 2-D experience to the next level with the GetSetUp community!

Explore GetSetUp classes

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