In this paper, we argue for a new synthesis of two pedagogic theories: feminist pedagogy and transactional distance, which explain why and how distance education has been such a positive system for women in a national distance learning university. We illustrate this with examples of positive action initiatives for women. The concept of…

In 1983, the UK Open University (OU) offered its first women's/gender studies (WGS) course. Although a late entrant to the area, OU WGS courses were influential nationally and internationally for many feminists and WGS teachers and scholars. Not only did OU WGS courses have the largest WGS student cohort of any UK institution with over 8000…

In 2002 the UK Government produced a report highlighting the problems faced by women returning to employment in science, engineering and technology (SET) after a career break. In response to this report, a national strategy was developed, with funding from the UK's Department of Trade and Industry and the European Social Fund "Equal"…

Since the early years of the twenty-first century there has been an increasing interest in using Web 2.0 technologies to support learning in Higher Education. However, previous research suggests that the integration of blogging into courses can be difficult and cites problems with issues such as student compliance. We adopt a learner-centred…

The widespread adoption of information and communications technologies (ICT) in higher education (HE) since the mid 1990s has failed to produce the radical changes in learning and teaching than many anticipated. Activity theory and Rogers' model of the adoption of innovations provide analytic frameworks that help develop our understanding of the…

In the past, computing facilities at the Open University in the United Kingdom have been provided through terminals and modems in local study centers. A new policy to implement home computer use will rely on student owned microcomputers. While this policy reflects a commitment to increasing the use of computers as distance education aids, it may…

This career booklet presents nine short biographies of women who began studying as mature students--after working or staying at home with their families--and were able to develop new careers in the less traditional female areas of work in technology and engineering. Aimed at women in their 30s and 40s, the booklet illustrates ways in which women…

The Women in Technology program, which ran for three years through the Open University, was a retraining program for qualified, experienced women technologists who had left paid employment for family reasons. It was designed to assist in the updating of technical knowledge and the promotion of confidence and skills in career planning for those…

Evaluation of the impact of a policy of Great Britain's Open University requiring students in specified courses to have access to a microcomputer found that preexisting differences in the student body affecting access (particularly gender, income, and geographical location) were magnified by the need to use computers. (Author/DB)