New Series of Tech Tuesdays Set for Fall
Tech Tuesdays, a free series to help seniors master their smartphones and tablets, will meet from 10:30 am to 11:45 am on September 9, September 23, and October 7, 2025, at Smith Village, 2320 West 113th Place in Chicago. New this year is the schedule: for the first time, classes will meet in alternate weeks, to provide more time for participants to master what they learned in each session.
Seniors can register below or call the 19th Ward Office at 773-238-8766 between Friday, August 15, and Friday, September 5. Apple and Android users meet in separate rooms at Smith Village. Please indicate the type of digital device you use. Participants bring their devices so they can immediately apply what they learn.
“With our popular instructors Claire DiCola-Richards and Lauren Dowden, we took a fresh look at this offering,” says 19th Ward Alderman Matt O’Shea about the tech series launched in 2016. “The changes in smartphones and tablets continue to accelerate. Many mature users are frustrated by innovations that lack clarity—for instance, the fact that the instruction manual can only be accessed on the device itself.”
According to Dowden, “We’ve divided the class into smaller sections, to allow for questions about one skill before we move to the next. We aim to make participants comfortable with using specific features on devices—starting with where to find them—so that everyone feels more confident when picking up a smartphone.
Adds Richards, “We start by demonstrating how to set sound levels and font size, how to store contacts, how to text and email, and how to take and share photos. Then we’ll move to using apps for online shopping, ordering transportation, receiving medication reminders, and more.”
Both instructors will provide hands-on learning as well as flashcard-style “homework.” This will allow participants to practice what they’ve learned between presentations, so that using a smartphone or tablet becomes second nature. The instructors encourage attendees to team up for practice sessions between classes.
“Today’s digital world is moving even faster and is filled with more scams,” says Marti Jatis, Smith Village’s executive director. “We know seniors want to be smart about protecting themselves when communicating with their families and friends, while benefiting from a variety of apps that make life easier.”
Smith Village will serve refreshments at all three sessions.