The Gendering Cyberspace project, which I coordinated from 1999 till 2001, was a European partnership project aiming at developing an Intensive, Open and Distance Learning Programme Interdisciplinary and Multicultural Women's Studies in Europe using new media and Information and Communication Technologies. The introduction of new modes of 'open' learning through the use of interactive technologies will allow for interaction between learners and tutors. The theme Diaporic Identities and Medi@ted Cultures was explored from the perspective of giving meaning to and theorize about 'living in a digital society'. The course website was built on WebCT technology, which provided bulletin boards, space for homepages, chat spaces and audio lecture files. Students came from as far as Brasil.

This ODL course mainly focused on digitalized and visualized teaching materials, at the same time using ICT as a tool in teaching Women's Studies to virtual students, as well as reflecting on the process and the meaning of this use of new information and communication technologies for teaching and learning, and for contemporary society as such. Because the proposal provides an ODL version and a on-campus version of the same programme a thorough evaluation of the educational implications involved in both lines of teaching will be possible. This provided a clear impact on how to use and not to use new educational developments in both and ODL and on-campus settings. In the process of developing an on-line Open and Distance learning course, the project aimed at setting up a long term partnerships between the participating institutions, with emphasis on, during the first year, the identification of new partners, specifically in Southern and Eastern Europe, for continuing future activities.