Conclusion

Deliberate and planned learning design, accompanied by thoughtful and robust student support systems, offers opportunities to increase the quality and variety of teaching and learning provided in an online context. The success of distance education relies on the learning environment, materials, and support during course delivery. A key assumption underlying learning design in an online environment is that successful teaching goes beyond mere presentation of learning materials; successful teaching involves pedagogical strategies and techniques to engage, motivate, and energize students. For educators, consciously thinking about learning design provides a framework for reflecting on the learning strategies and activities that specifically target the needs of women learners. In order to do this, it is necessary to identify and remove the barriers for women’s learning and leverage the opportunities provided by an online environment.