arguably, an important dimension of university education and one, which was very difficult to achieve in earlier modes of distance teaching. Most of the interaction is asynchronous, which affords students time for reflection and qualitative assessment. In addition, the ease with which text, audio and video materials can be located and retrieved can go a long way to solve the long-standing problem of library access for remote or busy students.

Gender Issues and Their Impact on Distance Learning

One of the more interesting areas of research has begun to explore issues relating to women and distance education. Distance education provides women with multiple roles the opportunity to study in their off or crevice time, that is in their spare moments between the tasks of paid employment and household and childcare responsibilities.

Research has found that women are much more likely to stop studying once they have started than men and this is largely due to the many demands placed upon them. Women's participation in and performance in distance education programs are very much related to the local cultural conditions and the availability of higher education to those who have not been traditionally prepared (Ferris, 2001). Thus, for example, research at the University of Papua has shown that only one in five of the students in the distance education program are women. On the other hand in parts of Australia, over 42 percent of the external students were women (Murphy & Wotring, 2003).

Yet, despite the appeal of distance education for women, there have been some feminist critiques of the approach. The arguments are that this kind of education only adds to women's isolation. It also encourages the perception of education as an individualistic asocial process while limiting the possibility for transformation. Others have pointed out that the very act of gaining an education can empower women (or any other disenfranchised group), but that the

 

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