The use of technology in distance education has been lauded as one the greatest changes to teaching and learning. This change has been credited with making it possible for working adults to pursue higher education from the comfort of their own homes. In this study, I explored the impact of integrating technology to a distance education program for female in-service teachers at the University of Botswana. It is argued in this research that the experiences of women with juggling family, work, distance learning and social commitments (four shifts) have largely been ignored in the zeal for technology.
I also argued that gender is an important factor in technology integration because of its historical bias against women. The sociocultural issues associated with the transfer of Western technologies to less-developed countries were also discussed. The study was framed by four research questions; 1) How does learning at a distance affect full-time work and family responsibilities? 2) How does studying at a distance impact the women’s participation in their communities? 3) What are the issues associated with the use of Western instructional technologies for women in less-developed contexts? 4) Can participants benefit from online communities of practice? The qualitative research involved ten female teachers and used unstructured interviews, observations and document analysis as data collection methods.
It was found that women experienced problems with childcare issues while attending tutorial sessions. It was also noted that the problem emanates from a failure to recognize domestic responsibilities as significant work that impacts women’s performance elsewhere. The women experienced difficulty managing work, domestic responsibilities and distance learning. Additionally, distance learning made it difficult for them to participate in social activities that are a significant part of their culture. The study also found that there was a tendency towards compartmentalization of the four shifts rather than recognizing them as interrelated.
The study concluded that for distance learning geared towards women to succeed it has to accommodate their multitasking lives. It was also concluded that it was crucial to create a network of resources and communities of practice to support the women in distance learning.