WOMEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: The Challenges

Year 2015, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 1 - 6, 02.11.2015

Christine Vaskovıcs

Abstract

Distance education has the ability to reach anyone anywhere and thus is widely accepted as a method of educating large populations of people in developing countries. The women in particular, are able to reap the benefits distance education has to offer by overcoming many of the barriers faced through conventional methods of learning. The Internet is said to increase access to education, and no doubt the developing world has seen an influx of Internet based distance learning opportunities. Few will argue, this mode of learning can offer unparalleled, up to date educational opportunities and at a reasonable cost to the user. Unfortunately, there exists a huge gender gap in Internet access in developing countries. Will the increase in Internet accessed learning widen the gender disparity in higher education in the developing world? If this gender gap does not change, the women will miss out on quality and affordable learning opportunities.

Keywords

Distance education, women in developing countries, Internet gender gap

References

• Bates, T. (2005). Technology, E-Learning and Distance Education, 2nd Edition, London: Routledge/Falmer.
• Bates, T. (2008, July 7). What is Distance Education? Online Learning and Distance Education Resources.
• Burge, E. J. (2001). Using learning technologies: A synthesis of challenges and guidelines. In E. J. Burge, & M. Haughey (Eds.), Using learning technologies:
• International perspectives on practice (pp. 145-155). London: Routledge/Falmer. Burge, & M. Haughey (Eds.), Using learning technologies: International perspectives on practice (pp. 102-111). London: Routledge/Falmer. Hussain, I. (2008). Distance education as a strategy for eliminating gender disparity in
• Pakistan. Proceedings of the PCF5 Conference. Commonwealth of Learning and the University of London (Institute of Education). Intel Corporation. (2012).Women and the Web: Bridging the Internet gap and creating new global opportunities in low and middle income countries,Dalberg Global
• Development Advisors and Globescan. Kanwar, A. & Taplin, M. (2001). Brave new women of Asia: How distance education changed their lives. Commonwealth of Learning.
• Mhehe, E. (2001). Confronting barriers to distance study in Tanzania. In E. J. Mulder, A.
• (2013, February 4). Free online education could spur growth in developing world. Toronto Star.
• Pena-Bandalaria, M. (dela) (2007). Impact of ICTs on Open and Distance Learning in a
• Developing Country Setting: The Philippine experience. University of the Philippines Open University. Reshef, S. (2011, April 26).Distance Learning for Developing Countries. Huffington Post.
• Spronk, B. (2001). Naming the learning technology issues in developing countries. In E.
• J. Burge, & M. Haughey (Eds.), Using learning technologies: International perspectives on practice (pp. 15-25). London: Routledge/Falmer. Stalker, J. (2001). Misogyny, women, and obstacles to tertiary education: A vile situation.
• Adult Education Quarterly, 51(4), 288-305. Sultana, S. A. & Kamal, M. A. (2002). Distance Education and Open Learning in a
• Developing Country like Bangladesh: Philosophy and Reality. 2nd Pan-Commonwealth Conference Proceedings Temitayo, O. (2012). Does Open and Distance Learning Allow for Reaching the Unreached? Assessing Women Education In Nigeria. International Women Online Journal of Distance Education. Vol.1. Issue 2.
• Usman, L. (2001). "No one will listen to us": Rural Fulbe women learning by radio in
• Nigeria. In E. J. Burge, & M. Haughey (Eds.), Using learning technologies: International perspectives on practice (pp. 92-101). London: Routledge/Falmer. Wagner, N., Hassanein, K., & Head, M. (2008). Who is responsible for
• E-Learning Success in Higher Education? A Stakeholders' Analysis. Educational Technology & Society, 11 (3), 26-36.