Speaking for Ourselves Women and Distance Education in India

"Joining the ranks of recent research on distance education Speaking for Ourselves fills a uniquely valuable space that has been empty for so long. Distance education is a relatively new area and viewing it from the perspective of gender makes it even more so. Distance education is generally seen as being specially suitable for women and there is data to prove that this mode is preferred more or less globally by women. How then can distance education be made more women-friendly? The essays are written by women on women and distance education in India and raise a wide range of crucial questions: how can distance education empower women? Is it necessary to identify special programmes for women learners? How can the language and graphics in course materials be made gender inclusive? What is feminist pedagogy? How can more women be enrolled? And having enrolled them, how are they to be retained? These questions have implications for institutional policies, their effective implementation and the future of distance education on the whole. Speaking for Ourselves is a polyphonic coming together of different voices from different institutions representing different perspectives and points of view. The result is a stimulating mix of experience and insight that will make the book a valuable resource for anyone connected with distance education and open learning."