The kind of technology (tech) support that older adults prefer during continued mobile use varies widely. So does the perceived quality of that support. However, we know little about what influences these preferences and perceptions. We conducted an online survey with 138 U.S. older adults to understand how mobile device proficiency and feelings of anxiety and confidence during mobile use impact the preference for and perception of mobile tech support in older adults. Proficiency predicted a positive preference for self-reliant support but a negative preference for social support during continued mobile tech use. The effects of proficiency and confidence on the perceived quality of self-reliant mobile tech support in older adults were partially mediated by a preference for it.

Despite the soaring rate of mobile device ownership among older adults, a common barrier to their continued mobile use is little to no tech support for learning or troubleshooting the complexities of mobile apps, features, and services. In this paper, using interviews (n = 23) and surveys (n = 259) with older adults, we develop and evaluate the mobile tech support questionnaire (MTSQ). MTSQ measures older adults’ preference for and perceived quality of support during continued mobile tech use. An exploratory factor analysis revealed two dimensions, helpful resources used on one’s own (self-reliant) and help from another person (social). Next, partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to explore the relationship between preference, quality, frequency, and ease of use of mobile tech support. Both preference for and quality of a support type positively influenced how frequently older adults used that type of support and perceived its ease of use.

Far more older adults are using mobile devices now than a decade ago. However, the applications they use continue to lag in depth (features) and breadth (diversity). Despite the large body of research on designing technology with older adults and identifying their adoption difficulties, we know little about how older users prefer to learn or troubleshoot mobile technology following an initial adoption and ownership. In this paper, we first review the existing models of technology adoption by older adults that consider learning as a factor and discuss their limitations. Then we interview older adults who use mobile technology (n = 23) and younger adults who help them (n = 17), to identify how older adults prefer to learn and troubleshoot nowadays. Our participants represent three different cultures, North American, South Asian, and Middle Eastern. Findings suggest that in addition to mobile device proficiency, older adults' technology identity---different from their attitude toward technology---determines their learning preferences. We identify two types of learning preferences: self-exploration and social learning, and two types of support, general and social. Social support plays a role in both social learning and learning by self-exploration. Finally, we propose the senior technology learning preferences model for mobile technology (STELE) to describe how different learning preferences and support types influence older adults' mobile technology acceptance and use.