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Advancing Gender Equality and Inclusion Through Technology - Enabled Open Education
Abstract
This concept paper presents a case study of the Centre for Mass Education in Science (CMES), a Bangladesh-based NGO, and its integration of offline digital learning tools, Moodle and Aptus Pi, into vocational education programs for rural adolescent girls. Piloted between September 2024 and March 2025 across locations including Korotia, Gobratol, and Suruj, this initiative builds on CMES’s established Basic School System and Adolescent Girls’ Program, which have reached over 178,000 learners across 20 districts. Using a qualitative case study methodology, this paper examines how the phased deployment of digital tools contributed to learning continuity, skill acquisition, and gender empowerment in low-connectivity contexts.
Learners in tailoring and computer training used preloaded multimedia content to revisit lessons independently, helping them overcome instructor shortages and household constraints. Initial barriers such as fear of technology, limited electricity, and device-sharing tensions were mitigated through repeated orientation and peer-led support. Gender awareness sessions further enabled participants to delay early marriage, increase mobility, and improve decision-making within households. By embedding digital learning into a community-based, gender-responsive framework, CMES demonstrates a scalable model for inclusive open education. The findings offer timely insights for practitioners designing context-specific digital learning interventions aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 5.
PCF11 Sub-Theme: Gender, Technology and Innovation in Open Education
Paper ID: 5156
Subject
Country
Bangladesh
Region
Asia
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Adobe PDF, 512.72 KB
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Date
2025-09
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Corporate Author
Editor
Publisher
Commonwealth of Learning (COL)