Producing Gender Sensitive Learning Materials: Handbook for Educators

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THE OMMONWE LTH afL RNING

Producing ender SensitiveLearning Materials

Handbook for ducators

December 995


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TH E COMMONWEALTIf LEARNING

The Commonwealth of Learning is an International Organisation established by CommonwealthGoverrunents in September 1988 following the Heads of Goverrunent Meeting held in Vancouver in

1987. It is headquartered in Vancouver and is the only Commonwealth intergovernmentalorganisation located outside of Britain.

The purpose of The Commonwealth of Leaming as reflected in the Memorandum ofUnderstanding is to create an d widen access to education an d to improve its quality utilisingdistance education techniques an d associated communications technologies to meet the particularrequirements of member countries. The agency s programmes an d activities aim to strengthenmember countries capacities to develop the human resources required for their economic an d socialadvancement an d are carried ou t in collaboration with Governments relevant agencies universitiescolleges an d other educational an d training establishments among whom i t also seeks to promoteco-operative endeavour.

The Chair of the Board of Governors is Dr. H. Ian Macdonald an d COL s President and Chief

Executive Officer is Dr. Gajaraj Dhanarajan.

The Commonwealth of Learning 1995

PRODUCING GENDER SENSITIVE LEARNING MATERIALS

Janet Jenkins authorSusan Phillips editor

ISBN 1 - 895369 - 48 - 7

Published by:

THE COMMDNWE LTI I a LE RNING

1700 Dunsmuir Street

P.O. Box 10428 Pacific CentreVancouver BC V7Y KCANADA

telephone: 604 775-8200

facsimile: 604775-8210e-mail: [email protected]: http://www.col.org


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orewor

ender sensitivity in learning materials is taken very seriously these days, andrightly so. But those responsible for developing and using learning materials mustaddress these sensitivities properly.

Learning materials have too often been typical examples of the insensitive use oflanguage an d role modelling. Men are portrayed as scientists or mathematicians,or the like) whereas women have been depicted as mothers an d wives and if theyattend school at all, they are shown studying subjects that suit women, such asnursing or teaching. These stereotypes serve to reinforce the traditional roles thathave been projected onto both male an d female students for many years.

Distance education materials are no different from other learning materials in thisrespect. Often they continue to reinforce stereotypes that students first encounter athome before entering school, or during their early years at school . This form ofstereotyping, when f ound in distance education materials, is perhaps even moreharmful t han in learning materials used in traditional teaching: in a face-to-facesetting, students can question an d query the printed word; in distance education, onthe other hand the curriculum is taught by printed or taped) learning materials,with little opportunity for discussion of peripherally related subjects.

Until authors, course developers, course writers, an d instructional designers aremade aware of how an d why gender insensitive language and other stereotypicalgender-related issues can an d should be eliminated, the problems associated withgender bias in learning materials will remain.

This handbook is an attempt to highlight concerns relating to gender sensitivity, andto suggest ways of circumventing them during the development of learningmaterials. provides many examples depicting gender sensitivity, no t only inlearning materials, but in the manner in which educational issues are approachedfrom a gender neutral perspective. For example, it looks at course calendars an dbrochures and finds ways in which opportunities for education an d training can be advertised to all, so tha t i t is clear women are encouraged to take part. alsoexamines the hurdles that some women must overcome, particularly whenembarking on study as mature students or when living in so-called developingcountries.

This handbook is written so that it can be used as a self-study aid for course wri tersan d also as a guide for workshops on the development of learning materials.The tables at the end of each section are intended to inspire discussion, an d are


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designed to bring to the forefront areas in which institutions may need to work toimprove their capacity to address gender sensitivity issues, as well as to assist indetermining ho w this objective can be achieved.

The Commonwealth of Learning is no t aware of any other handbook of this kindtha t has been developed for this specific audience. Nor is it aware of otherhandbooks that have been produced specifically to highlight gender issues inlearning materials. COL is therefore confident that this handbook will be a usefuland worthwhile reference for course writers an d developers, an d that it will provehelpful in the design of gender-sensitive learning materials.

The outline of this handbook was suggested during a roundtable held in Vancouverin June 1993 on the theme of Gender Bias in Distance Education Materials an dResources . ttended by senior women educators from different countries aroundthe world, this roundtable was organized in response to recommendations from

international agencies an d Commonwealth countries that the issue of gendersensitivity in distance education be addressed.

Ms. Janet Jenkins, one of the participants at the meeting, was subsequentlycontracted by COL to draft the handbook, which involved, for the most part,elaborating on the topics identified in the roundtable s outline, an d collecting an dcompiling examples to reinforce the issues that were highlighted as important.

We are grateful to Ms. Jenkins for her work in writing this handbook, as well as tothe participants at the round table for suggesting the publication an d contributingideas, examples, an d case studies that helped make it a reality. We particularlywant to thank Ms. Helen Buckley who, although she d id not attend the roundtable,when asked to contribute to the handbook produced a series of examples drawingon the Comprehensive Teacher Training Programme modules developed by theOrganisation for Cooperation in Overseas Development.

We also wish to express ou r appreciation to Ann-Marie Metten for copy-editing an dproof-reading an d to Gwen Spinks for desk-top publishing in preparation forprinting.

Finally, we wish to acknowledge the significant contribution made by SusanPhillips, Senior Programme Officer at COL, in coordinating, organising, editing, andoverseeing the project through to the publication s completion.

Richard SimpsonThe ommonwealth of Learning

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ont ntsFOREWORD v

LIST OF EXAMPLES viiiINTRODUCTION

w TO USE Tills HANDBOOK 3PART PRINCIPLES AND ISSUES 5

The s ta tus of women s education an d the case for its improvement 52 Open and distance education 73 Distance education an d women 74 Effective distance education 95 Accommodating cultural factors 6 Addressing resource issues 127 The case for affirmative action 128 Ana lysing your ow n case 3

PART 2 ACTION GUIDELINES 5 Programme plans 52 Marketing 20 Pricing 6 Enrolment 35 Learning materials 376 Teaching an d learning processes 607 Delivery an d support systems 668 Assessment an d evaluation 75

CONCLUSION: SEVEN WOMEN SPEAK U 8R F R N S 85

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x mples1 Prospectusfor NationalExtension College Cambridge

2 Brochure for Indira Gandhi National Open University India3 Prospectus for National Extension College Cambridge4 Materials from Effective Learning Programme at Sunderland University United

Kingdom5 Materials from a course on Social Research in the Diploma in Youth an d

Development Programme at the Commonwealth Youth Programme CaribbeanCentre

6 Materials from a preparatory course in General Mathematics at Indira andhiNational Open University India

7 Materials from a course in Home Management in the Higher Education Diplomaat Vista University South Africa

8 Materials from a course for rural medical officers at the Wellcome Tropical Institute9 Experimentfrom in-service teacher education in the Eastern Caribbean10 Materials from a course in Food an d Nutrition at the Indira Gandhi National Open

University India Materials from a course for rural medical officers at the Wellcome Tropical

Institute 2 Materials from a course for social workers at the United Kingdom Open Learning

Foundation13 Materials from a li teraturecourse at Vista University South Africa14 Example supplied by the South African Institute for Distance Education15 lllustrations from Watch YourLanguage guidelines produced for theState

Services Commissionof Ne w Zealand16 Guidelines from the South African Institute for Distance Education17 Materials from the Effective Study Programme at the University of Sunderland

United Kingdom 8 Materials from a course on Young Women an d Development in the

Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre19 Materials from a course in study skills at the NamibianExtension Unit2 Materials for Women s Matriculation at Allama Iqbal Open University Pakistan2 Poster designed by the MATLA Trust South Africa22 Open Teaching Toolkit from the United Kingdom Open University23 Tutor Orientation an d Training Manual Open Learning Institute on g Kong

Note: nyex mples h ve beenre formattedforpresentation nd the size o fprintshould not be takenasindicative o f the size o f the original.

Vll l


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ntrodu tion

The en d of th e twentieth century is witnessing a renewed emphasis from

government on th e importance of education and training - no t just in childhoodan d adolescence - but lifelong. What has come to be known as t he learningsociety is seen as underpinning national development economic competitivenessand th e wealth an d health of society. But education and training in most countrieshave far to go before they meet present an d future needs for lifelong learning. So inpart this handbook is about improving access for all adults to education an dtraining an d about increasing effectiveness through wider opportunities betterorganisation an d better materials.

Specifically this handbook aims to help educators wh o are developing learningmaterials to make them free of gender stereotypes gender bias and discrimination.

Such materials will it is hoped appeal to women and assist in increasing their levelof participation in distance education.

The elimination of gender stereotyping in education is recognised internationally asan issue of importance. The Commonwealth of Learning with its Commonwealth-wide programme of staff development in distance education an d i ts strong focus onwomen in development is particularly well placed to take action. has thereforeprepared this handbook in response to recommendations by a number ofinternational agencies and Commonwealth countries to address th e issue of gendersensitivity in distance education. The handbook will be widely circulated togenerate substantial international impact.

This handbook is not about learning materials designed exclusively for women. relates to learning materials for all learners of post-secondary age includingmaterials for both education an d training. contains comprehensive guidelines forgender sensitivity in educational materials. looks at th e context of us e as wel l asth e content as these relate to open an d distance learning as well as other modes ofeducation. The focus is on the preparation of text but other media also play a role.The materials considered are for adults bu t some m ay b e at school equivalence or abasic literacy level intended for learners wh o have no t completed their schooleducation. Issues of culture an d environment are also considered: particularlydifferences between rural an d urban conditions. Many of th e examples quoted are

from courses where the majority of learners are women. In a few cases it ma y beappropriate to offer courses or programmes open only to women.


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This handbook is intended for all those planning, developing, or adapting learningmaterials for post-secondary age learners, including course designers writers,editors, an d graphic designers), managers, publishers, an d all involved in thedevelopment of learning materials for post-secondary age learners. will be of usein a variety of contexts such as educational institutions, agencies, an d ministries. provides guidelines drawn from experiences across the Commonwealth, an d as welloffers a useful introduction for those wh o have no t previously considered sensitivityto gender as an issue.

This handbook is short an d each point is deliberately brief so that key ideas m ay b eabsorbed quickly by readers who have little time. The handbook could be used:

in seminars, possibly as part of a more substantial writers workshop; or as a resource for writers an d editors working individually or in teams.

Each section may be used separately. Users are invited to adapt an d extend thematerial to suit their own cultural context an d education task. The activity at th een d of each section is designed to be photocopied for group use, or it may be usedby individual readers.

The purpose of this handbook is pract ical to improve women s experience ofdistance education. Many materials, even among those produced today, do nothingto make women feel welcome in their chosen course of study. This handbook willhelp avoid that problem an d the activities should help readers focus closely on theirown situation. The principles stated in each section offer a se t of criteria againstwhich to evaluate individual programmes, their organisation an d delivery, an d theirlearning materials.

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w t Use his andbook

First read Par t I Principles an d Issues for a background discussion of distance

education; then turn to Part the Action Guidelines:

Read the information and examples Consider th e principles onsider your ow n situation Review your situation by completing th e activity at th e end of each

section

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Part Principles nd ssuesThis part argues the casefor re evaluation o fpractice in the design anddevelopmentofleamingmaterials/sothatmaterialsmayeHectivelymeetthe

needs o f allpotentia1leamers n doing so/ i t argues foraffirmativeaction tosupport women learners h discussion provides acontextforunderstanding theguidelines thatfollow in Part Part 1 could also be usedon it s own by policymakers

The status of women s education and the case for its improvement lifelong education is for everyone why should special consideration be given tothe needs of women learners? First the extent of the contribution of women tonational economies is far greater t han many may realise. A high proportion ofwomen are economically active. For example by 1990 in industrialised countrieswomen formed 4 percent of the labour force a nd in East Asia the proportionreached 43 percent according to the United Nations Development Programme uman evelopment Report 1993. Although in other parts of the world theproportion is lower the contribution of women to the economy remains substantial.In Asia for example women complete 8 percent of post harvest agricultural work.In addition the role of women in the informal economy is substantial an d theirdomestic work is considerable. housework were assessed as productive outputglobal output would increase by to 30 percent.

Women thus tend to work long hours often for little or no pay. They are keen to takeup education and training opportunities for many reasons but the benefits to bederived from present or future employment are undoubtedly the main motivation.Better education can lead to a better job an d better pay. From the employer sperspective highly skilled workers are of greater value in a modem economy. Thedriving force for education and training for women is economic.

Although the need for education is common to both men and women women startfrom a position of disadvantage. First they are less likely than men to have gainedthe fullest possible benefit from formal education. Most boys attend school at sometime while up to a quarter of the girls in developing countries never do so. Moreboys than girls complete school. Fewer girls than boys in almost every country inthe world go to university. These inequities were even more pronounced when thewomen of today were children. The result is generations of women not only

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condemned by lack of education to poor pa y and low status jobs, but women alsoless able than their educated brothers to take advantage of further education ortraining. As long as girls have unequal access to school, women will endure theconsequences.

ome responsibilities can further limit access to education or work. Most marriedwomen take the greater share of responsibility for caring for home, family, andspouse. Unmarried women too often have similar or even greater constraints, as solecaregivers for elderly relatives or as single parents. These obligations can limit thetypes of job a woman takes up an d can limit her access to educational opportunitiesthat will help he r get a better job. In poorer countries, women are the sole providersof income in up to one third of families. Mothers wh o interrupt their paidemployment or take on less demanding work in order to care for babies or infantsusually do so at a point in their working life when men of the same age areadvancing rapidly in their careers. Women s disadvantages are thereforecompounded.

Women are the world s largest excluded group , according to the United NationsDevelopment Programme. By every measure of development, women get a poordeal. As life improves, country by country, the gap between men and womenrefuses to close. Measuring development against a sophisticated array of indicators,the United Nations Development Programme concludes:

In many industrial countries, the female human developmentindex is only around 8 that of males. Women participateinadequately in employment, and in some industrial countries,women s earnings are less than half those of men.

Many developing countries exclude women from both politicalparticipation an d productive work - whether by tradition,discriminatory laws or withheld education. In the countries forwhich relevant data are available, the female human developmentindex is only 6 that of males. Indeed, for decades, life haschanged very little for 500 million rural women in the developingworld (1993/25).

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The evidence is awesome. would be foolish to assume that education can performmiracles. But the consequences of allowing underdevelopment to continue at itscurrent level are unthinkable. Education for all adults must contribute to redressingthe balance in favour of women.

Open and distance education

The advent of open an d distance education has widened opportunity for women.Essentially democratic it helps to make education an d training more accessible. allows people to s tudy when and where they like at a pace that suits them and itcan provide tutorial support at home. For some adults this method of study ispreferred. For many it is the only option.

A policy of openness in education removes the barriers to participation includingthose of age time place an d prior qualification and encourages access. As the

importance of education an d training outside the formal education system increasesso does openness. Distance education as a form of open education increasinglycontributes to all sectors of education an d training. Opportunities for education an dtraining at a distance are no w offered at all levels an d in a multitude of subjects an dfew countries remain without some system of distance education. People of all agescan l earn a t a distance although the major focus is on adult learners.

Distance education is now recognised at the government level in many countriesan d is mentioned in education and training policy documents as an essentialstrategy. Nevertheless in most countries the impact of distance education is smallwhen compared with conventional modes of education. But change is under way

with a worldwide movement towards greater flexibility in teaching an d learning.This movement is leading to increased interest in more effective ways to exploitopen an d distance education methodologies.

3 istance education and women

pe n universities l r g e degree granting institutions that offer distance education have led the development in distance education over the last years. Theirimpact on higher education in their home countries has been considerable inmany cases national open universities have a far greater total enrolment than anyother single university in the country. But by an d large open universities have done

li ttle to redress the balance in women s participation.

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t is t rue tha t more women than men enrol in some open universities. For example,Athabasca University in Canada, a provincial open university with a nationalintake, consistently has a complement of percent or more women students Sweet1989 . we expect distance education to provide compensatory education an dequalise access at a national level between men an d women, then all distanceeducation should have a similar pattern. But elsewhere the picture is different.Many open universities, such as the United Kingdom Open University, have asimilar proportion of women enrolled as their conventional counterparts - that is,they maintain rather than redress the balance. In other cases, men far outnumberwomen. At the FernUniversWit in Germany, the Dutch Open University, an d theIndira Gandhi National Open University in India, numbers of women are far lessthan men. At the Indira Gandhi National Open University in 1993, 26 percent oftotal enrolment was women, compared with 32.5 percent 1991-1992 for the formaluniversity system as a whole adbury 1993,7 .

Such figures may shock educators who see open an d distance education as animportant means of serving the cause of women. Although statistics are less easilyfound for other sectors of distance education such as vocational training orsecondary equivalence, it is unlikely that they would paint a brighter picture. Byan d large the relative participation rates of me n a nd wo men in distance educationreflect those in conventional education. Wh y is women s participation so low? Whatcan be done to improve it?

The limited impact of distance education on women is no t necessarily a reflection ofdemand Courses can be designed so that they are equally attractive and accessible

to me n and women But special steps must be taken to enhance accessibility towomen.

Distance education techniques can also serve to increase participation inconventional education. Flexible approaches to teaching an d learning that combineface-to-face study with some independent learning are an essential part of an ystrategy for open education, and serve to widen access an d choice for women. Alleducation an d training for adults, whatever the setting, must be consideredalongside distance education.

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ffective distance education

Distance education is essential to any strategy of lifelong learning. can bedescribed as a process of education where all or most of the teaching an d learning

takes place with a separation in place or time between teachers and learners.Distance education is carefully designed to meet the needs of its adult learners. eteducation with such an aim requires careful planning an d its success relies on bothlearning materials and learner support during delivery.

Successful planning of distance education programmes involves identifying thetarget group designing the curriculum an d choosing the delivery method takinginto account the resources available. Learning materials must be selected ordeveloped to match the curriculum objectives an d a suitable system of delivery andsupport must be devised. The arrangements for course design development an ddelivery require both careful management an d the participation of a range of skilledpersonnel.

n addition successful distance education relies on the efforts of the learner. isoften described as learner-centred in contrast to conventional methods ofeducation which are normally teacher-centred . o be effective in the context ofdistance education learning materials must be in essence self-instructional. Theyshould cover the course objectives comprehensively be interactive to encouragelearning contain clear an d relevant examples to ease comprehension use anappropriate language level be well structured an d contain appropriate guidance tohelp learners study effectively.

upport for distance education is organised differently from conventionaleducation. Instead of regular interaction between teachers an d learners as the mainmeans of instruction learning materials carry the main burden. Learner interactionwith material is supplemented by occasional interaction with a teacher wh o issometimes at a distance perhaps corresponding by mail or telephone an dsometimes face-to-face. Distance education ma y also offer opportunities for groupwork an d peer interaction. Other elements of support may include counsellinglibrary services an d access to a place to study. The support provided is designedaccording to the requirements of the subject or curriculum resource availability andlearner needs.

Distance education needs staff who have academic or management exper t i se -preferably both. Subject an d teaching expertise is needed to plan the curriculum

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develop learning materiat an d teach learners using a range of methodologies thatma y include correspondence an d personal contact. Learners must also be assessedoften through examination. Sometimes if the number of learners is small all thesetasks are carried ou t by one person; bu t more usually an d most people wouldargue more effectively these tasks are shared by a number of people wh o areoften known as the course team. Other functions are also necessary: some technicalfunctions such as editing and graphic design; other administrative functions such asprocessing enrolments assignments and student records; yet other functionsrequiring interpersonal skills such as enrolment advice or counselling on studyproblems. The processes of course development and delivery are thus quitecomplex take place over a considerable period of time an d involve a large numberof people in different places. Hence good management is needed.

The effectiveness of distance education depends on how the different elements ofthe teaching an d learning process are combined an d managed. There is no singleprescription for the right combination an d maximum flexibility is desirable.Variations will have an impact on learning an d can improve or diminishparticipation an d completion. Certain factors affect different categories of learners.The impact of slight change or variation may not be immediately obvious or easy tomeasure; but in a form of education designed to serve large numbers it is unwise tooverlook the significance of detail. For example scheduling group study sessionsmust take account of constraints such as household duties time of nightfall an dtransportation to facilitate maximum attendance by women as well as men. Foreducation to be effective each learner needs the benefit of a fully supportivelearning environment.

ccommodating cultural factors

Distance education now commands respect all over the world. nd yet manyeducators still express doubt about how suitable it is in particular circumstances.Some educators for example question how forms of distance education that relyheavily on the printed word can be useful in cultures with an oral tradition. Othersrefer to the isolation of the home student as an insuperable barrier in cultures wherelearning is traditionally a group affair. In some countries an d cultures traditions ofrote learning based on appeals to authority are only no w being replaced by moreeffective modes of teaching and learning. n each case distance education as a form

of study that depends on materials prepared in advance of learning is less thanideal.

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But distance education, if it is designed well, can cope with cultural differences.Strategies that increase flexibility are to be encouraged. In Guyana, for example,remote learners use audio-conferencing to complement correspondence tuitionbecause the Guyanese culture has a strong oral tradition. The University of theSouth Pacific also turns to audio-conferencing to create communities of learners at adistance, because its students come from countries where there is a strong traditionof group interaction for learning. n d in India, where there is a traditional tendencyto passive learning, the Indira Gandhi National Open University uses carefullydesigned interactive distance learning text together with face-to-face support tostimulate new approaches to learning.

Education today benefits from an ever increasing array of technology. In fact, theupsurge in the popularity of distance education is largely du e to recognition that itsuse of technology holds great potential for learning. The only barriers to the wideruse of information technology are economic rather than cultural. As demonstratedin Guyana an d the University of the South Pacific, information technology can beused to address cultural factors tha t s tand in the wa y of effective distance education.As audio-conferencing reproduces the interactivity typical of good classroominteraction, the newer trappings of distance education are rapidly becoming asimportant as conventional methods.

The flexibility of distance education enables it to cope well with cultural differences.But a further dimension must be considered: that of the differences in culture andenvironment between men and women. distance education a good strategy for allwomen? Or does it only reinforce the pressures that keep many women ou t of

public life an d in the home? Some educators have argued that study at home is anundesirable option for women who are already cut off from the outside world. Butin an assessment of women studying at a distance in Canada, Rebecca Coulterconcluded otherwise:

Whilst women s isolation in the home is a problem that should not bedown-played, criticisms that damn distance education as a furthercontributory cause are guilty of ignoring the material realities ofwomen s lives. Every day women cope with the limitations placed ontheir lives by lack of money an d time, by distance an d geographicallocation, by inadequate childcare an d public transportation systems. In

this context, distance education is not part of the problem, i t is part ofthe solution 1989, 12-13 .


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ddressing resource issues

Much of the popularity of distance education results from its cost effectiveness. Itcan reach large numbers of learners often at a lower cost than conventional

methods. However, this does no t mean that distance education is education on thecheap. Its measure of success is learning, an d distance education is successful onlywhen an anticipated number of students complete their courses. igh completionrates depend on the quality of the learning materials an d the support services. Buthigh quality learning materials an d support services cannot be bought cheaply.Sufficient resources must be allocated to distance education, an d they must beallocated appropriately.

There is a case for providing special resources for women. In light of their generaldisadvantage, women often need more support than their male peers. Likewise,rural people, wh o ma y also often be women, need more support than their urban

colleagues. Serious intention to redress the gender balance must recognise thatadditional resources may be needed in some cases to provide adequate services forwomen.

There is also an issue of gender balance among educational providers. More womenwriters, women tutors, an d women managers are needed. Women students d o n otnecessarily require tutors of the same sex although same-sex tutors may be requiredfor religious or cultural reasons). Increasing the number of women educationalproviders is more a matter of creating a healthy institutional culture. Ross Paul,currently president of a major Canadian university, believes that far more womenshould be promoted to senior positions, no t only because they deserve theopportunity, but also because of the impact they will have on styles of leadershipand the wa y decisions are made Paul 1990 . illustrate, he observes that womenare better listeners than men, more sensitive to the feelings of others, an d lesscompetitive. Such characteristics are important in designing education.

he case for affirmative action

This handbook is about sensitivity to gender - both male and female. The concernis to create a balanced learning environment that does no t discriminate on the basisof gender. But in the broad context of the role of education in development, it isclear that particular attention mus t be paid to the needs of women the gapbetween men and women is to be narrowed. Attention can be of two kinds: first,identify and remove barriers; and, second, create ne w opportunities. First, strategiescan include arrangements to take into account women s circumstances in courses

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an d programmes open to both men and women; and second strategies can includespecial courses to increase choice for women and in some cases to provide themwith exclusive learning opportunities.

nalysing your ow n se

Each section o f t s handbookends with apracticalactivityto achieve th ehandbooks practical pwpose to improve the way women experiencedistance education Many distance leaming materials even among thoseproduced recently; donothingtomake women feelwelcome theirchosencourse studJ Thishandbook willhelpeducators avoid perpetuating thatproblem and theactivities shouldhelp them focus dosely on their ow nsituation he principles stated eachsection Part willoffer a se t o fcriteria against which to evaluateprogrammes their organisation anddelivery; and theirmaterials This firstactivity;a table encourages educatorsto start with a broad look at thecurrenteducationalstatus women Lateractivitieshavea more specificfocus

Use the following table to review the situation i n you r own country institution orprogramme of study. n the first column enter what you know about currentcourses for women; in the second column suggest changes that could be made. ow look a t wha t you have written. Does a viable strategy emerge? Probably not.You will need to re-examine the situation an d review your answers until a plan foraction is clarified. may be best to return to this table after working through theentire handbook.

Of course there is no right answer for this activity but the table can be used togenerate creative thinking as a basis for discussion with colleagues an d again lateras a measure of ho w much expected change has taken place.


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Note th t each point in the table relates to the headings the Principles nIssues discussion Part The space given for you to write is merely indiCative;you m y prefer to use separate pieces of p per for each point of discussion

Your Programme

Current situation Proposed action

Status of women seducation

Open and distance

education

Distance educationand women

Effective distanceeducation

ccommodatingcultural factors

ddressing resourceissues

ffirmative action

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Part 2 ction ui elines is p rt th e h ndbook identifiespracticalissues to address in the l n n n ~development, nd delivery ofle ming material. Issues arearranged in eightsections. While i t is impossibleto identifyevery issue o fimportance/ n ttempt h sbeen m de to highlight arepresentativerange/ to which readerscan dd their ow nexamples. n each case/ thei ssue is identifiecl examplesare providecl nd guidelinesforactionarederived. h guidelinestakea leamer-eentredperspective. Examplesarepositive/ demonstrating good practice/ nd asfaraspossiblerepresent

avarietyofpublicationformats forexample/courseunits/literacypacks/newspapers/ ndgroup leadermanuals}/

a11levelsfromliteracytopostgraduate forexample/ m n gementdevelopmentmaterial /

. arange purposes/ including education nd training; nd a v rietyofcontextsofuse

Programme plans h design o fa progr mme o fstudy nd thechoice nd rr ngementofcomponentsaffectpartidpation.

Issue hoosing distance education as a method of education

ow c n distance education improve access to women? The University of the WestIndies uses distance education to allow learners from non campus territories of theCaribbean to receive instruction from a tutor in a campus territory. The firstprogr mme offered through this strategy was geared towards the professionaldevelopment of teachers wh o live in non campus territories. These teachers arepredomin ntly female nd they have great difficulty leaving their families to attendthe c mpus territories. The distance programme provides a regular opportunitythrough n inter territory communication system for teachers to listen to lecturers nd discuss the learning materials with them. Unfortunately the teachers who aregenerally employed full time must attend a study centre to benefit from thisfacility; for m ny this means travelling a long distance nd the classes arescheduled t specific times of d y w ith n o flexibility. However the progr mme does

improve access because it allows learners to remain in their home territories tostudy.


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Issue : Allocating resourcesIn cases where it is uneconomic for a single institution to offer a course,collaboration can be effective. Three Australian universities clubbed together tooffer a distance education major in women s studies. The commitment of thewomen involved helped ensure adequate resource allocation:

The collaborative Major succeeded because it suited several agendas. Firstly,it me t the cost-saving imperatives of the three universities in financiallytroubled times. Secondly, it enabled the universities to demonstrate a positiveresponse to federal urgings for rationalisation an d co-operation in distanceeducation an d to public rhetoric encouraging reduction in genderdiscrimination. is ironic that senior policy makers support was gained fora (cheaper) collaboration in Women s Studies where the academics concernedhad been unable to secure solid intellectual an d financial support for the field

per se. Thirdly, as an interdisciplinary field, Women s Studies could clearlybenefit from the wide range of perspectives and expertise the threeuniversities could offer collectively. Moreover, values of solidarity and cooperative action are key components of feminist principles of theory andaction This commitment to co-operation has survived the vicissitudes ofthe Not invented here factor, institutional politics an d competitiveness,different academic structures an d administrative systems, an dcommunications problems an d resource constraints oran ~ 39).

Issue : Researching the t rg t audienceThe Allama Iqbal Open University in Pakistan runs as part of its basic functionaleducation programme a scheme that uses audio-cassettes to help villagers learnmore about subjects such as childcare, poultry keeping, an d electricity. The successof the programme depends on research to identify needs, which is carried out byfemale university staff wh o are trained social researchers. Women villagers arevisited in their homes an d suggest subjects that they would like to study. Theuniversity then prepares learning materials an d trains facilitators. The facilitatorsconvene village learning groups an d lead meetings during which the group listensto an audio-cassette an d looks at pictures displayed on a flip chart, which reinforcemessages on the tape. Women usually prefer to join groups that deal with topics oftraditional concern to them, such as childcare. Illiteracy has not been adisadvantage.


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Issue Choosing media and technologyPlanners face two main issues. First is the technology or medium available to th etarget group of learners? Second is it accessible?

Guyana television is available in the main towns along the coast where th emajority of the population live. But in a country with serious income disparities no teveryone owns a television. In the interior a vast forested area with poorcommunications broadcast reception even for radio is poor an d sometimesimpossible an d most people are without electricity. Until recently people from theinterior wh o want to train as teachers or take university degrees have been obligedto spend long periods in residence at educational institutions in the metropolis. Forwomen with family responsibilities leaving home has been difficult. Distanceeducation is no w being introduced to irnproveaccess to higher education but th emedia an d technology used mus t be simple and take into account th e difficulty ofdistributing learning material.

In Britain many people have access to personal computers; but analysis shows thatmore me n than women have access. A 1980s survey showed that 7 percent of maleprimary teachers had access to a personal computer compared with 52 percent offemale teachers and 40 percent of male clerical and office personnel ha d accesscompared with 8 percent of female office personnel Kirkup 1989 309 . t isreasonable that a similar imbalance exists in other countries an d that in poorercountries where overall access to computing facilities is lower very few womenhave access to computers. Meanwhile distance education courses that involve th euse of computers could serve to reinforce the exclusion of women rather than

increase their participation. Similar arguments could apply to other media an dtechnology in the home. Who decides which television programmes are watched?Learners in a family wil l often have to give way to others. Or women may be busywith family duties at the time a broadcast is scheduled.

Issue Designing inclusive curriculum odem approaches to curriculum design often focus on outcomes expressed interms of competencies. Such approaches are usually associated with the recognitionor accreditation of prior learning or both. These approaches can be favourable towomen who have often acquired much knowledge an d skill in non traditionalsettings. However they can also be a disadvantage if curriculum designers fail to

take women into account. Special guidelines such as those issued by the AustralianNational Training Board could be used. Their statement of principles on genderissues to assist curriculum designers includes the following:

7


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PRoduciNq G Nd R S NSiTiv L RI\JiNqM T Ri ls

lIil representation in the standards development processlIil languagelIil methods of analysis identification of competencies overlooked competencies checklist for eliminating gender bias

The document is no t meant to be prescriptive, but is intended to assist competencystandards bodies to eliminate gender bias ustralian National Training Board1991).

Issue Arranging for residential sessions

Face-to-face arrangements can be woman friendly. Goroka Teachers College inPapua New Guinea offers at a distance an experimental advanced diploma inteaching for high school teachers. The programme incorporates residentialcomponents, which were originally six weeks long. However, in the experimentalprogramme the residential components were restructured, with six one-weeksessions a year:

As a result of this scheduling change, women who were single heads ofhouseholds wh o would no t have been able to leave their families for thelonger sessions have been able to attend. In addition, women on maternityleave were able to participate. Since Papua New Guinea promotes breastfeeding as the best means of nourishing infants, it was no t clear what impactthis would have on nursing mothers ability to participate in classes. To date,breast-feeding their infants has no t interfered with the mothers participation the women bring their baby-sitters who would normally care for thechildren at home while the mothers were teaching their classes) with them tothe site of the residential sessions Simpson 1990

Programme Planning Principles

Programme planners must take into account:

the audience for example, its composition, size, an d so on) research findings on the audience s needs choice of method of instruction, including assessment methods

choice of components an d media for example, whether they are availablean d accessible)

choice of delivery an d support for example, whether it is gender friendlyan d flexible)


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rogramme Planning ctivity

Use th e following table with your colleagues n the first column enter details ou tyour current programme; n the second column enter your suggestions for

improvement nd change

Your Programme

urrent situation Proposed action

istance education toincrease access

Resources for distanceeducation

Target audience

hoice of media andtechnology

esigning inclusivecurriculum

Supplemental support

19


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PRoduciNq GENdER S NSiTiv L RNil\JqMATERiAls

2 Marketing ow canpotentialbenelidarieshearabouttheleamingopportunity? owcan theyfind outenough?

Issue : Publicising your programmeInformation about a distance education course will only reach all potential learners an effort is made. nd that effort requires investment and a budget allocation, amatter sometimes overlooked. Some distance education programmes turn to highcost television advertising to recruit learners. Others use low-cost media and, to acertain extent, rely on existing networks and infrastructure. Gender sensitiveapproaches include using media that reach all categories of potentialleamers.

Allama Iqbal Open University in Pakistan introduced a secondary school certificateproject for girls. The publicity strategy focused on local distribution of informationan d

personal contact. Publicity was often through regional project offices,with

special posters and handouts available from those offices. Whereas a mass mediaapproach would not have been as effective for this target group, the word-of-mouthapproach has been successful in attracting a considerable number of girls.

n the Eastern Caribbean, Ministries of Education, in collaboration with theOrganisation for Cooperation in Overseas Development, have started a distanceupgrading programme for untrained elementary school teachers, most of whom arewomen. n orientation programme on studying at a distance has beenrecommended, an d many successful women former students are interested inassisting with this training. Regular advertising channels will be used according to

the decisions and budgets of host country governments. Combining this approachwith the more informal peer-counselling strategy of using successful role models astrainers should improve access to and understanding of the programme.

Issue Increasing participation o women in programmeswhere they are under represented

Management education programmes provide an example of programmes in whichwomen are under-represented. At the Indira Gandhi National Open University inIndia, only a small proportion of students taking management courses are women seven to eight percent in 1993 . The examination of publicity material showed thatwomen could be more explicitly targeted, perhaps by presenting role models of

successful women learners. One inhibiting condition of enrolment was tha t threeyears of work experience was required, which might be reduced or waived forwomen Ladbury 1993

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PRoduciNG GENdER S NS iTiv L RNiNG MATERiAls

Similarly, in the Open Business School of the United Kingdom Open University,7 percent of students are sponsored by their employers. But women students formonly between 5 percent an d 35 percent of students on Open Business Schoolcourses, possibly because employers will no t finance their enrolment. An initiativeknown as Women into Management is designed to encourage women to seekmanagement education an d training independent of their organisations. Thisapproach will increase women s participation in management courses Smith 9 8in Tail 1993 .

The Zambian National Correspondence College recently introduced a computerawareness programme, with assistance from the Commonwealth of Learning.Particular efforts were made to attract women, including careful wording an ddesign of th e course information leaflet. Described as a self study opportunity forwomen an d men , the text prominently placed the following statement: Women areparticularly encouraged to enrol. Of the first group of course graduates, sevenwere women; a t least 2 more women wanted to enrol but could no t find money forth e fee.

Issue : Attracting women non traditional subjectsWhere an imbalance in participation between sexes occurs in certain disciplines inconventional education, that imbalance tends to be reflected in distance education.Subject-by-subject breakdowns indicate that women tend to concentrate on lesstechnical subjects, avoiding areas where they are traditionally under-represented,even when those areas offer scope for subsequent employment. A staff group a t theUnited Kingdom Open University, WISE Women into Science an d Engineering), is

organised to recruit women students. They provide information an d advice, arousethe interest of women students with a special leaflet Technology I s f or Women ooan d provide opportunities at university open days to try hands-on computing Carter and Kirkup 1991 .

Issue Creating the right imageAn institutional prospectus can help attract potential students. The prospectus of theNational Extension College, Cambridge, is a model of gender sensitive presentation.Example 1 is taken from it.

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PRoduciNCj CEI JdER SENSiTivE LE RNiN j MATERiAls

The course will help you to : speak, write and read basic French to a

good or high standard

gain a GCSE in French

progress to N level French.

Personal tuition with 15 Genera or 12Extended assignments

Course codes French General: GC13:French Extended GC14

l\ See 3iso How to Learn a Language p.g

Business French. p 37 -...

Before you start:No prC\ ious knO\dedge 1 required forFrench General, but you will need a\\Orking knowledge of basic French for theExtended course.

I ve just done m y G SE an d go ta B. It s much better then Iexpected. Thank yo u fo r

rekindling m y interest inlanguagesl

NE e offers two separate French courses foryou to choose from. If you arc it beginner orhaye little knowledge of the language,French General enables to achieveCCSE marks up to grade [f you alread\ n ~a basic knowledge, however, FrenchExtended enables you to achie\ c GCSEmarks up to grade r\ - (starred J\ andprepjlre for A level French.

I f you do French General tlrq, you cjlnc a r r ~on to the Extended course for onlyi

The study topics include: talkmg about 'our:-;e1fand others

shopping and ordering a meal

leisure, sport and hobbies.

Before you start:You will need some basic maths.

fantastic course ve enjoyedit immensely

Physics IGCSE

Physics is the science of matter and energy,and this IGCSE course will help deydop~ ) u rknowledge of the key principles. Youwill learn about the ba:;ic characteristics ofenergy and matter, and find out how theyare affected by forces such as heat, light,sound and electricity.

The study topics include: mechanics

heat and e n e r g ~

electricity and magnetism.

The course will help you to: d ev do p your knO\dedge of basic physics

gain;,tn lGCSE in physics

progress to A level Physics.Personal tuition with 15 marked assignments

C ou rs e c od e G I1 0

l\ For m o r c ~ jeI8:b 011 IGCSEs. see p 11

The study topics include: ;;;olid\ liquids and gases

metals and electroh'SIS

chcl1llCaJ formulae,

I e n jo y ed t h e c o ur se a n d d o in gthe expe r ime n t s m any thanks

to my tutor f o r he l pi ng me passmy exams

This unique [GCSE cour:se introduces yOUto all the basic princIples of chemistry. Youwill co\ cr a range of tOpICS and cart: outsimple experiments to find out more aboutIssue:', like E numbers in our food, nitratesand phosphates In oursod and CFC in thearmo:.phere.

ChemistrY,IGCSE

The course will help you to: dcyclop your knowledge of bflSIC

chemistn

gall1 no IGCSE chell1lStry.

Personal tuition With 15 marked assignments

Course code: GI12

Before you start:1\0 preYl0US knO\dcdge of c h c n l l s t r ~isrequired.

IlllIiI For more jE;i3-,S on IGCSEs see p 11

xample 1 ProspectusforNational xtension o e g ~ ambridge

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Issue 5: Including the right informationA potential learner prefers to have questions answered before choosing a course

oo d information backed up by counselling where possible is essential One wayto provide good information is a database Another is the prospectus or calendarSome faculties have their own publicity which provides a level of detail that wouldbe impossible in an institutional catalogue Example 2 is from the School of umanities Information Brochure 1993 for the Indira andhi National OpenUniversity; th e example demonstrates ho w potential queries can be covered

DUR TION THE OURSE

Students desirous of completing the degree programme in a minimum period of time can get their degree bysuccessfully completing the courses in three years. For students who cannot devote more time for study due toother activities, a maximum period of 8 years is allowed for completing the programme.

If a student wishes to complete the Bachelor s Degree Programme in 3 years, he has to acquire 32 credits inthe first year, Le 16 credits from the Foundation Courses and 16 credits from Elective Courses. On successfulcompletion of the first year, the student can earn 32 credits in the second year 8 Foundation and 24 Electivesthe remaining 32 credits in the third year from Elective and Application-Oriented Courses. Students who plan tocomplete the Bachelor s Degree Programme in a longer duration of time can place their study according totheir convenience.

Medium of Instruction

The University offers the Bachelor s Degree Programme through both English and Hindi medium. The printedcourse materials are sent in the medium of the student s choice.

ounselling

The University arranges for about 10 counselling sessions for an 8-credit course and 5 counselling sessions fora 4-credit course. The counsellors at the Study Centres are available for discussion and clarification of doubts.As the counsellors are not expected to teach the units in the sessions, the students are expected to study theirmaterials before attending the counselling sessions.

ssignm nts

In the case of 8 credit courses the students will have to submit 3 assignments: students have to submit 2assignments for 4 credit courses. The students are expected to send their CMAs to the Headquarters at Delhiafter filling their answer sheets as directed. They have to submit their TMAs it their Study Centres forevaluation.

Examination

The University conducts examinations two times a year in June and December.

xample 2 rochure for Indira Gandhi National Open n i v r s i ~India

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arketing rinciples

Effective marketing needs:

n active approach materials specially for publicity n information service a gen er sensitive image n ppropri te me i choice n appropriate choice of channels n locations a strategy for attracting m rgin lle mers sufficient inves tment


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Marketing ctivity

Use the following table to review your current marketing strategy n to developsuggestions for a more inclusive strategy

Your Programme


PUblicising yourprogramme

Increasing participation y women

Attracting women tonon-traditionalsu je ts

reating a woman- friendlyimage

Including the rightinformation

5


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PRoduciNq G Nd R S NSiTiv LE RNiN j M T Ri ls

3 Pricing ow can discrimination beavoided in programme pricing?

Issue : Price may be an inhibitor

n Gujarat State India the state government has agreed to pay fees for all womenlearners including those enrolled in Indira Gandhi National Open Universityprogrammes. The progressive attitude to women s education in this state supportedby the work of regional staff at the university contribute to high femaleparticipation in the courses of this university relative to those in other Indian states Ladbury 1993 .

Issue 2: Subsidising course related expenditures n Papua ew Guinea women s participation in distance education is low an dcompletion rates for those who do enrol are disappointing. In 1992 the Departmentof Extension Studies of the University of Papua ew Guinea undertook a study to

find ou t about the difficulties women face when paying for and coping with anational matriculation programme taught at a distance. The research identifiedseveral problems one of which was financial.

Over half the women in the survey paid their ow n tuition. Over half also indicatedthat they found it extremely difficult to pa y for the course. t seems t ha t being inemployment is the most crucial factor favouring women s enrolment and tha t beingunmarried helps a great deal. Some sponsorship is available but it is no t widelypublicised. To combat women s lack of self confidence there needs to be widepublicity of financial help for women as well as active encouragement ofapplicants. The research was limited to urban dwellers and it can be assumed that

rural dwellers were less privileged. Since the research took place tuition fees forstudents in grades one to six have been waived an d fees for students in gradesseven to t en have been subsidised PhjJ]jp 1993 .

Issue 3: Creating flexible payment procedures and methodsFlexible payment procedures improve access an d continuation rates. Payment byinstalment helps students wh o have low budgets an d arrangements for refundsprovide reassurance. Example 3 is from the prospectus for the National ExtensionCollege Cambridge and sets ou t payment procedures conditions of enrolment an darrangements for discounts instalments and cancellation. A statement ofcommitment and an offer of pre-enrolment advice is also included in the prospectus.


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PRoduciNq GENdER SENSiTivE L RNiNq MATERiAls

If you would like more information before you enrol, pleasewrite or phone Customer Services on 0223 316644

NEC S COMMITMENT TO YOUNEC undertakes to provide you with:

helpful and accurate information and advice about your courseshigh quality, up-to-date course materials which are yours to keep

expert, constructive tutorial supportuntil you have completed all the assignments in your course.We allow you three years to finish, and an unlimited time for all degree courses.a full moneyback guarantee: we willrefund your course fee in full ifyou are not satisfied. that yourlearning objectives are being met, provided that you have completed all your course assignmentsin fulland have sent them to your tutor formarkingcontinued tuitionon all An level course: Ifyou fail the exam, NEC willtutor you at no extra chargeuntilyou pass, provided that you have completed at least 80 of the s ~ i ~ n m e n t shave paid thefullcourse fee and apply for theextra tuition within three months of receiving yourexam results.

It s Easy to Enrol1. Read the Conditions of Enrolment

The condition of enrolment for degreeand professional courses are explainedon pAO. Forall other courses, pleaseread the panel opposite. Please makesure you read the relevant conditionsbefore you enrol.

2. Complete the EnrolmentFormYour enrolmentform is enclosed in thisGuide. Ifyou are enrolling on a Degreeand Professional course, an pluscourse or Zoo nimal Management,please phone Customer Services on0223316644 for a special enrolmentform.Ifyour course leads to a qualification - forexample, GCSEs or levels - please let

us know which year you areplanning totakethe exam sowe can send you therelevant information for your subject.

3. Choose Your Method of PaymentNEC offersfacilities to paywith oneadvancepayment, or by instalments. Thefull costs of each method of payment areoutlined in the Fees Liston the oppositepage. You can choose to pay by cheque,postal order, credit, debit or Switch card,or by standing order. Ifyou payby creditcard, you can enrol directly over the phone 0223450221/2) or byfax 0223 313586).

4. Post the Form and PaymentUsethe pre-paid label enclosed with thisGuide.We will process your enrolmentand send outthe relevant materials so youcan startthe course within a fewdays.

5. OrderYour Essential BooksIf your course requires essential books,details are given atthe bottom ofthe

relevant course description in this Guide.You can order essential books from yourlocal library or book shop. Ifyou wanttoobtain them by mail order, ask CustomerServices for an Essential Books OrderForm.

Starting your courseAs soon as we receive yourenrolment wetry to process itand despatch your coursematerial within the week. You shouldexpect to receive them oneweek later,although it maytake slightly longer ifyouare an overseas student.The package you receivewill contain your

course materials and everything you needto get started on your course.

Change of syllabusIfthere is a change of syllabus while youare studying for a course which leads to aqualification, or iffor reasons beyond ourcontrol the examination is to bediscontinued, we will inform you in plentyoftime so you can finish the coursebefore the next exam.

Other courses

NEC can recommend other open learningcourse providers:The Open College ofthe Arts for courses

inart

and design, painting, textiles,photography and music. You can get theirfree prospectus from: Open College of theArts Dept NEC), Houndhill, Worsbough,Barnsley S70 6TU. Tel: 0226 730495.

Conditions of EnrolmentThe terms and conditions fo rourdegree and professional courses aredetailed separately on p.40.

You, as a student, are responsible forensuring that you satisty the entryrequirements of the examining bodyandfor making arrangements to sittheexamination. NEC will provideinformation how to do this.)

NEC cannot take responsibility forchanges to the availability of any externalexams, but we will keep youinformed ofany changes.

If,within 30 days from thedate ofdespatch of your enrolment, you decidethat the course is unsuitable for anyreason, you have a choice of:Course transfer: if you choose to

transfer to another NEC course, NEC willretain 25 of the full course fee to coveradministration costs. The balance of thecourse fee will go towards paying foryour new course. Ifyou are not surewhich course to transfer to, we will behappy to send specimen units from othercourses to help you make a decision.The originalcourse materials remainyour property.Course cancellation: ifyou choose to.cancel your NEC course and request acash refund, the cancellation charge willbe calculated on the basis of 40 of thecourse fee, plus a chargefor eachassignment marked by your tutor. Thecourse materialswill remain your

property.We regret that we cannot acceptcancellations on coursescosting 80and under.Ifyou decide to cancel after the 30 dayperiod, you willbe charged on the basisof a pre-30 day cancellation. That is,40 is retained to cover administrationcosts, plus a fee for each assignmentmarked. You will not, however, beeligible for a cash refund. The balancecan be used as a transfer right towardsanother course. Transfer rights must beused withinsix months of thecancellation date.We cannot accept a request for

cancellation later than six months afterthe date of enrolment.

These conditions of enrolment do not affectyour statutory rights.

Example 3 Prospectus for National Extension ollege ambridge


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PRoducil Ki GENdER S NSiTiv L RNiNqMATERiAls

Fees and InstalmentsThe course fee for payment in full when you enrol) is given in the courseentries in the Guide and is also listed in the Fees L.lst below.Special discounts for courses costing 81 and over:

ifyou are a former NEC student (and you quote your student number),you can claim one discount of 10 on the course feeifyou are a pensioner or on income support or unemployment benefit,you can claim one discount of 15 on the course fee. (You must sendus supporting documents with your claim - for example, a photocopy ofyourUB40.)

Note: We regret that we can only offer you one discount, so ifyou are aformer NEC student and a pensioner, we would suggest that you claim thepensioners discount of 15 rather than the former student discount of10 .Instalment payments

Payment by instalment is welcome on any course costing 81 and over.There is an additional charge of approximately 3 per instalment to coveradministration. The deposits and instalments have been worked out for you

in the Fees Ust below, but ifyou need help in calculating your depositand payment, our Accounts Department wil l bepleased to advise youon 0223 450221/2.Overseas students - postage costsWe welcome enrolments from students living overseas, but w e dohave to make an additional charge to cover postage costs.Ifyou live in Europe or Eire, add 10 to the course fee and for othercountries, add 15 to the course fee.

Ifyou are paying by instalments, please add the postage costs to yourdeposit.Cancellation policyIfyou cancel your course, the cancellation charge will be equal to thedeposit for instalment payments.

It Is not possible cancel courses costing 80 and under (seethe Conditions of Enrolment on the previous page for a fullexplanation).

Example

Prospectus for National Extension College/ Cambridge continued

ri ing rin iples

Non discriminatory pricing requires:

a pricing policy special rr ngements accessible information for purchasers

flexible p yment metho s

8


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ri ing ctivity

se the following table to review your current pricing policy n to developsuggestions for a more inclusive policy

Your Programme

urrent situation Proposed action

Pricing policy

Subsidies

Flexible payments


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4 Enrolment o w ca n w e improve partidpation? owcan we encouragesuitablecandidatestojoin in

Issue : CounsellingThe decision to start a course of study is an important step for many women.Counselling can provide support at the critical moment of choice. Germany sFernUniversitat has, for an open university, particularly low women s participationrates, followed by poor completion rates. Research at the university has shown thatpre-enrolment counselling reduces subsequent drop-out. Women counsellors helpwomen learners at an early stage to plan their study environment an d cope withfamily attitudes. n many families, the man of the house is an authority figure, an dsome husbands do no t favour their wife s plans for educational advancement. Thecounselling service is available at times to suit women, and women learners are

encouraged to contact each other by telephone von Priimmer 1994 .

Issue : Offering access coursesOne strategy to help those who have a limited or rusty educational background is toprovide foundation or access courses, which bridge prior knowledge with achosen course of study. Access courses, some for women only, which help entry tohigher education, have been popular in recent years. They are particularly attractiveto women who completed formal schooling at an early age and now wan t to reenter education, perhaps after raising a family. Sometimes access courses are linkedto guaranteed places in a university or other institution. Access courses ma y betaught at a distance, bu t they are often face-to-face, since interpersonal contact andgroup work are important to build confidence. Some open universities offerdistance preparatory courses to help newly accepted students come to grips withstudy before starting a full degree programme.

A related strategy is to design courses to bridge previous learning an d present need.The Eastern Caribbean mathematics course for teachers, for example, recognisesacademic skill deficiencies upon entry. Of the course modules designed to bestudied in sequence, the first three modules provide a bridge from previous s tudy atschool. Diagnostic pre-tests assist learners to identify skill areas that must bestrengthened before J;Ilore difficult concepts are attempted. All modules aredesigned on the principles of moving from the simple to the more complex an d offacilitating success at an early stage.


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Issue Creating and sustaining demandWith the support of government funding, in 1982 the United Kingdom pe nUniversity launched its Women into Technology project to encourage women

engineers who were not currently working in the profession to return to learning.The project was staffed by an all-women team, based at a regional office. Targetedpublicity elicited expressions of interest; then all enquirers were telephoned.Initially, all women who enrolled for a course were required to attend a residentialweekend course, which boosted confidence to get started. Despite their previoushigh levels of education, these returnees needed continual support throughout theirstudy programme.

cannot be emphasised strongly enough that for women in an obviousminori ty - sometimes the only woman in a study centre group - it canseem easier to keep quiet about a study difficulty rather than ru n the not

always imaginary) risk of ridicule; and consequently easier to fall behind an ddrop out rather than expose one s ignorance. The WIT telephone monitoringaims to pick those students up be ore elaborate rescue operations becomenecessary, an d continues to show the importance of regular encouragementfrom women technologists, additional to the support from a usually male)tutor-counsellor Swarbrick Thorpe and Grugeon 198?; 113).

Issue Covering a range SUbjectsAre there enough subjects to choose from? Is the range attractive to both men andwomen? n a degree programme taught at a distance, are suitable options available?The bachelor s degree programme at the Indira Gandhi National pen University,India, for example, has a range of vocationally oriented courses that include somechoices of special interest to women. The secondary school certificate programmefor girls offered by the Allama Iqbal pen University, Pakistan, has a core ofcompulsory courses an d the following set of electives, which are both functionalan d attractive to girls:

Group Home EconomicsGarment Making Part 1Garment Making Part 2Applied Food and NutritionSelling Home-made ProductsGeneral Home Economics


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PRoducil\l j GENdER SEI IlSiTivELE RNiNCjM TERi ls

Group B: griculturalEducationEducation of Rural Women and Farm Operation ManagementPoultry Farming

Selling Home made Products roup C Health Education

Family Health CareFirst Aid Part 1First Aid Part 2 pplied Food an d Nutrition

roup D: VocationaL TechnicaL and CommercialHome Electrical Repair an d MaintenanceElectrical WiringTyping/Shorthand/Secretarial Practices an d Commerce Courses

roup E TeachingArabicTeaching

To matriculate each girl must accumulate sufficient credits from these electives.

ssue : Removing admission barriersUnder a scheme called provisional admission Massey University Ne w Zealandadmits applicants to its external degree programme wh o are without universityentry requirements provided they are over 5 years of age. By the early 1980s onethird of all women external students ha d enrolled under this procedure while overtwo thirds of those using the procedure were women. The high proportion ofwomen using provisional admission probably reflects the social attitudes of earlierdecades when girls were no t encouraged to stay at school beyond the minimum age Tremaine and wen 1984

ssue : reating flexible enrolment proceduresSometimes regulations relating to admission are necessary to ensure that standardsare maintained. The process of enrolment is neutral in comparison bu t at times itpresents formidable barriers particularly when time effort or money are at apremium Some examples of barriers to enrolment include the following:

The purchase of an enrolment form followed by payment for enrolmentrequires two separate cash transactions.

Using set times for enrolment results in long queues.


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The requirement to produce the originals of certificates m y eimpossible for older students.

A single central location for enrolment m y n ot e accessible to studentsin outlying areas.

n combination these factors are particularly challenging for students often womenwh o do no t have nk accounts or who use public transport. Enrolment proceduresmus t e carefully managed particularly i subsidies or scholarships are t stake; utthe principle should e to admit rather than to exclude.

Issue Recognition learningLearners are likely to e more committed i their existing knowledge n d experienceis recognised. Most adults have little idea of the worth of their experienceparticularly women who have acquired much knowledge n d skill informally.

Leeds Metropolitan University has for some years been offering n evening coursefor dults who are interested in returning to learning. The course helps themevaluate their knowledge nd skills nd record it in a personal portfolio. The courseis very popular particularly with women nd learning materials have now ee ndeveloped covering the same ground to provide greater flexibility n d enable morepeople to take the course.

Issue Induction to studyLearning to study effectively is n important p rt of getting started. SunderlandUniversity in the United Kingdom has a high proportion of older students ndm ny others from non traditional backgrounds. Although Sunderland is a

conventional university it decided to provide all new undergraduates with a self-instructional course o n ho w to study independently. The course treats its readers asm ture adults. Example 4 is n extract from the study material clearly designed asinteractive distance learning material. The activity is carefully designed n d thewording is selected so th t it is sensitive to different needs n d reactions.


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Recognising Stress

Are you aware of times in your life when you have experienced stress? What were the causes of your anxiety?

How did you respond? In other words how did the symptoms of stress show themselves?

Experience Stress Response

Stress may be triggered by a single event or a continuous pressure from one or moresources For many people change is a trigger for stress So you might have notedexperiences such as:

moving housechanging schoolsstarting a new joboverworked or pressure at workcaring for an elderly or disabled relationdoing your A levelsillnessstarting universitythe birth of a baby in the familya death or divorce in your immediate family

xample Materials from the ffective Learning Programme Sunderland

University United Kingdom


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A different approach is taken for the distance taught diploma in youth n ddevelopment r un y the Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre. Alltrainees in the programme begin their studies t the same time of the year nd allmust t tend a residential course. There they receive a full induction into theprogramme its objectives its content nd the methods of study. reinforce wh ttrainees have learned about study methods they all receive a handbook on studymethods designed specifically for the programme which they keep n d usethroughout the year.

nrolment rinciples

Wider nd sustained participation can result from improvements in

counsell ing availability

information a long term perspective sensitivity n d flexibility

recognition of experience planning n d study support

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PRoduciN y G Nd R S NSiTiv L RNiN y M T Ri ls

nrolm nt tivity

Use the following table to evaluate arrangements for enrolment nd getting startedin your institution You can record examples that support women s greater

participation where appropriate nd identify nd list ways in which you mightwish to change the current arrangements

Your Programme


Counselling provision

ccess courses

Demand

Range of subjects

arriers to admission

Flexible enrolmentprocedures

Recognition ofexperience

StUdy skills


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PRoduciNq G Nd R S NSiTiv LE RI\Jil \JqM T Ri ls

Learning materialsCunicu um design n materialspresentation must take into accountth e experience n nee s o f potentialleamers

Issue nsuring relevance and functionalityEffective learning material should include content an d examples that appeal to bothmale and female readers. Much learning material is still produced without attentionto these basic criteria.

n distance education textbooks that accompany courses are a particular difficulty. n th e area of business management for example with the exception of some recentpublications textbooks tend to be written by an d for male managers. Male writersusually choose examples from their everyday experience such as th e example of afast sports car to calculate speed. The writer of a study guide that refers to atextbook must know th e textbook well an d pa y attention to achieving balance.

The examples that follow are from practical courses an d each shows in a differentway how accessible everyday examples that are relevant to both men and womencan be used to encourage learning an d stimulate activity.

Example 5 comes from a course in social research that forms part of the diploma inyouth and development that is taught at a distance an d developed by the ommonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre. The activity shown is athinking exercise an d asks students mostly from Caribbean island communities tod ra w o n their experience. Note that both men an d women are explicitly mentionedthroughout.

Example 6 uses a gender friendly scenario which helps to make the subject of th eunit accessible to the university s adult students.

ntended for teachers the passage in Example 7 talks of the family in a wa y thatintegrates male an d female roles.

Example 8 shows how an illustration can be used to demonstrate a practicalapproach to measurement. This course which covers a number of medical topicshas been used successfully in a number of countries an d provides evidence thatpractical an d scientific subjects can be effectively taught at a distance. Practical

activities are designed to draw on everyday professional experience an d useequipment available in the home or work place. Measuring height against thedoorpost is a well-known trick bu t might well be dismissed as unscientific.

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PRoduciNCj GENdER SENSiTivELE RNil jCjMATERiAls

AC r1VITY 5.3Imagine that you wanted to carry out a study about the earning activities of fishermen and fisherwomenin a fishing village. What kinds of information do you think you might want to get? Please write downyour ideas. Then read the comments below.

OMM NT

If you were carrying out a study about fishermen and fisherwomen, you might well want to collectinformation data) about such matters as:

frequency of fishing e.g. daily, every other day etc.)

time s) of day when fishing is carried out

length of fishing activities

kinds of fish desired and kinds of fish actually caught

how and where fish are marketed

average value of catch

most productive and least productive periods e.g. with respect to season, time of day time of year, etc.)

other sources of income of the fishermen/women

who owns the boats used by the fishermen/women e.g. themselves or others)

are boats insured, and so on.

Example 5 Materials from a course on SocialResearch in the iplomain Youth n evelopmentProgramme t the ommonwealth Youth Programme aribbean entre


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UN T

Structure

PERMUTATIONS ANDCOMBINATIONS

PRoduciNCj GENdER SENSiTivE LE RNiNCjMATERiAls

7 IntroductionObjectives

7.2 Permutations and CombinationsThe Factorial NotationThe Principle of CountingPascal s TrianglePermutations and Combinations

7.3 The Binomial Theorem7.4 Summary7.5 Solutions and Answers

7 INTRODUCTION

I am sure you like to decorate your house. Suppose you have three pictures and want to hang two of them onthe wall. Perhaps you would pick two of the pictures, hang them on the wall and stand back to see how theylook. If you are not satisfied, perhaps you would interchange their positions and review this new arrangement.If you are still not happy, maybe you would try with the third picture. You would in this way consider all possiblearrangements before you decide which is the right one for your wall. In section 7.2 of this unit we shall beinterested in the number of all possible arrangements and choices permutations and combinations) in suchcases.

The binomial theorem appears in section 7.3. This theorem gives you an important and useful algebraicidentity. The expansion of x+y)n, where n is a positive integer, can be written in a neat form by using thenotations evolved in section 7.2.

Objectives

After reading this unit you should be able to:

use factorial notation,

use the principle of counting in various situations,

compute C n,r) and P n,r) for positive integers nand r

expand x+y)n by the binomial theorem.

xample 6 Materials from apreparatory course GeneralMathematics Indira GandhiNational Open UniversifjIndia

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The Value Household Task Allocation

The value of allocating household tasks to all family members if they are old and strong enough) lies not onlyin the free time gained by the housewife but also in the following:

It increases family solidarity.

Family members gain respect for each other.

Each family member s capabilities and personality are developed.

Family members learn the value of time allocation and coordination.

A give-and-take attitude is developed.

Example Materials from a course ome anagement the igher Education Diploma at i lstaUniversity South frica


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Documents

Producing Gender Sensitive Learning Materials: Handbook for Educators