New journal: International Women Online Journal of Distance Education

The International Women Online Journal of Distance Education  (int.WOJDE) is a journal focused specifically on women in distance education. The Editor-in-Chief is Prof.Dr.Emine Demiray, Anadolu University, Turkey (the wife of Professor Urgur Demiray, the editor of the Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education). Articles in both journals are published in English. The int.WOJDE states:

int.WOJDE is a peer-reviewed quarterly e-journal. International in scope, this scholarly e-journal publishes refereed articles focusing on the issues and challenges of providing theory, research and information services to global learners in any kind of distance education or open learning applications. 

int.WOJDE invites mainly the proposals from the introductory through advanced level on all topics related to:

• the using of information and communication technologies in distance education for women, and
• instruction and knowledge about new learning technologies in distance education for women;  
• the using of information and communication technologies in distance education by women, and
• instruction and knowledge about new learning technologies in distance education by women;

The first edition (Vol. 1, No. 1) covered topics on women in distance education in Zimbabwe, Palestine, Nigeria and Russia.

Comment

This journal fills a major need in distance education. There is a long history around the issues of women in distance education, but articles or research on the topic have tended to be scattered across a wide range of journals. What makes this journal particularly fascinating is its global reach, looking at women and distance learning across a wide range of cultures.

Other publications/resources on women in distance education

The Commonwealth of Learning web site lists over 40 publications on women and distance education (including three by its current President, Asha Kanwar). Some further articles not included in this list are:

Atan, H. et al. (2005) The support system in distance education: factors affecting achievements among women learners, TOJDE, Vol. 6. No. 4

Wall, L. (2004) Women, Distance Education and Solitude: A feminist postmodern narrative of women’s responses to learning in solitude Athabasca AB: Athabasca University (master’s dissertation)

Menda, K. O. et al. (2008)  Challenges facing female distance learners of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, African Journal of Open Learning,

However, this is a very large topic, and any other suggestions for publications on this topic will be much appreciated.