TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING - COMPUTER-MEDIATED COMMUNICATIONS IN HIGHER-EDUCATION (CMC IN HE)

This paper arises from a workshop at the CAL '95 conference. It attemp ts to share practical experience with both successes and problems in t he use of computer-mediated communications (CMC), to support flexible patterns of teaching and learning within higher education. The worksho p was based around the CMC in HE project at Lancaster University, with accounts from Lancaster and the University of Derby that have been ac tively exploring the use of CMC in their teaching. Several participant s at the workshop (including from Sheffield University and Glasgow Uni versity) also reported on their own experiences. Their contributions a re included here and collectively have provided stimulus to the issues that are addressed. This paper's main function is to crystallize some reflections from these perspectives around the important issues of fl exible access and opportunities for women, establishing use and sustai ning participation in CMC-based learning environments. Copyright (C) 1 996 Elsevier Science Ltd