With new and ever-changing gadgets floating around these days, it can be tough for some of us to keep up.

This week, Dixie Burmeister has a special offer for seniors who want to learn how to use things like smartphones and tablets.

Technology classes for seniors are available; they'll be broken into three pieces, each lasting an hour. The first class focuses on basic cell phone use, the second covers smartphones and the third class will go over advanced smartphone use, as well as iPad and tablet use.

Each class only costs $10.

Purchasing that new iPhone, smartphone, tablet, iPad or similar up-to-date gadget may be the first step in keeping up with technology. The second step? Learning how to use it all.

"The main reason is my smartphone is smarter than me," said Shirley McGuiness, a technology student.

"Being a man, my fingers are bigger and it's, you know, when you start to try to text or anything it doesn't work as well," said Lawrence Tarr, who's also attended the technology classes over the weekend.

But what about an iPad?

"I think it's easier to use and I think you can do anything on that you can do on a computer," said McGuiness.

Technology instructor Bruce Kralovec says the classes are needed for a number of reasons.

"The classes are important because people pick up these devices and I think when they buy them they think, 'Oh, they're going to be so easy to use, technology is supposed to be easy to use.' And then they get home, it's like, 'Oh, how do I use this?'"

Kralovec says devices like the iPad can even help the hearing impaired.

"I have one elderly customer who doesn't have any kind of a cell phone, but she has a smart-pad...she uses the video capability of the phone to stay in touch with her family members that are out of town. So she can be in touch with them. She's very hard of hearing but she can see them and she can read their lips," said Kralovec.

Upcoming classes will be taking place in September, including:

September 11th from 10am-11am covering basic cell phone use

September 18th from 10am-11am covering more advance phones such as iPhones and smartphones

September 25th from 10am-11am covering more advanced technology including tablets and iPads

For more information on these and additional classes which may be available, contact Parks and Recreation at 254-3866 or visit gjcity.org