Dr. Finaflor Taylan, Associate Professor and Director of the University of the Philippines Open University Office of Gender Concerns (OGC) and President of the Asian Association of Women’s Studies (AAWS), led the discussion of the Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Panel of the 5th International Conference on Distance and e-Learning (ICODeL), with the theme “Promoting Gender Equality, Embracing Diversity, and Fostering Inclusion in Sustainable Education”.
(L-R) Dr. Finaflor Taylan, Dr. Carolyn Sobritchea, Dr. Maria Lourdes Jarabe
Dr. Maria Lourdes Jarabe, who serves as the Program Chair of the Diploma in Women and Development program at UPOU and the Secretary General of AAWS, was among the panelists. Also present was Dr. Carol Sobritchea, who holds the position of Professorial Lecturer and Council Member of AAWS, along with Dr. Farhana Abdul Fatah, Senior Lecturer at the Universiti Sains Malaysia. Additionally, the panel included Ms. Hiroko Kinoshita, an Associate Professor at Kyushu University, and Mr. Oudom Man, a graduate of Thammasat University.
Ms. Hiroko Kinoshita and Mr. Oudom Man during the Gender Panel Session
The discussion started on how the members promote gender, diversity, and inclusion within the academe and in their respective countries. This includes the use of online platforms, resources, and other services for students and other stakeholders, democratizing access to education, promoting engagement between students, doing research focusing on feminism in their country, and adapting to changes and needs in fast and responsive ways.
Infrastructure-related problems, language, poor internet connectivity, plagiarism, confidentiality, and students’ conflicts with other obligations and distractions at home are among the challenges mentioned by the panel regarding the use of technology in the promotion of gender, diversity, and inclusion.
Dr. Farrah Abdul of Universiti Sains Malaysia sharing her experience
In maximizing the benefits of the use of technology and addressing the challenges, Dr. Carol Sobritchea recommends that the academe constantly review their syllabus to ensure that it is gender-sensitive, and educators and students should be cognizant of the changes. While a more deliberative intergenerational dialogue should be done as recommended by Dr. Maria Lourdes Jarabe. Dr. Farrah Abdul mentioned that in Malaysia, a nationwide policy states that academic modules should incorporate community assessment, which connects students to underfunded and small NGOs. For Professor Hiroko Kinoshita, Japanese women and housewives are encouraged to continue their studies and engage in academia again.