The document discusses how e-Learning can help overcome social barriers to higher education, specifically gender barriers. It notes that traditional education presents significant barriers to women's access to learning opportunities. Distance education has the potential to overcome barriers for rural women by allowing flexible scheduling and learning from home, but must consider women's technology attitudes and learning styles. Research found that women perceived deeper learning in online courses compared to face-to-face, and appreciated the flexibility to learn on their own schedule at home. Developing gender-sensitive online materials and further research on how online learning impacts gender equity is needed.

1. How we break social barriers to higher education through e-Learning By Indika Rathninda MIT/2007/061

2. Example of social barriers Gender difference Money Social class Cultural difference Believes Education background Location.

3. What going to discuss It is very interesting and important thing to survey that how we overcome social barriers to higher education via online learning. What? Mainly discuss how gender barrier affect to higher education and can we overcome this social barrier via eLearning.

4. Gender barriers to access to education Significant barriers that have historically restricted women's access to learning opportunities.

5. Women and distance education Distance education has potential to overcome barriers to rural women's participation but must consider women's attitudes toward technology and ways of knowing. Strategies are outlined for developing gender-friendly models of distance education. "Value-added" distance education requires rethinking traditional instructional settings and techniques. family/parenting, sibling, spouse and social obligation Although they praised distance education, the women interviewed unanimously agreed that distance study "isn't for everyone" and that it is a significantly different experience for female learners than it is for male learners

6. Women and ICT These women were grateful that communication technologies, despite their imperfections, allowed them to study from their own homes, at times most convenient for their personal schedules.

7. Online learning/E-learning and women The researchers found that females perceived that a deeper learning took place in online than in face-to-face courses . Allowed them to study from their own homes, at times most convenient for their personal schedules.

8. Producing gender sensitive online learning materials Developing online learning materials to assist in identifying gender bias concerns and improving capacity for addressing them. For example: course calendars and brochures are examined to find ways in which opportunities for education and training can be "advertised" so that it is clear that women are encouraged to take part

9. Requirement for future research How online learning tools affect to gender equity

10. REFERENCES http://www.uoc.edu/portal/english/la_universitat/sala_de_premsa/entrevistes/2008/lani_gunawardena.html http://www.col.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/Ahooja-Patel_Women.pdf http://www.tgslc.org/pdf/StudiesonBarriers.pdf http://www.ucc.ie/publications/heeu/Minority/taylor.htm#FOOTNOTE_6 http://www.dmiblog.com/archives/2007/10/barriers_to_higher_education_1.html http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119072977/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 http://www.sportsci.org/jour/9901/wghreview.html

11. Thank you !!!