There has been a lot of buzz around the opportunities for online learning for many years now, in particular, its ability to help level the field for those in the developing world. With access to smartphones on the rise and a growing number of online educational courses being offered by numerous groups and organisations from NGOs to private organisations and even many top universities, it seems that barriers to an education are lower than ever. However, figures are starting to show that whilst the content may be there, it can still be just as challenging for those most marginalised to gain access. In a recent article guest-edited by Bill Gates, Ronda Zelezny-Green discussed with the team at The Verge the challenges around reaching girls and women. Ronda suggests that just “introducing the technology into education doesn’t actually act a silver bullet” and that "there’s a lot more work that needs to be done around attitudes and approaches". Ronda raises the issue that social norms and economic realities can make it harder for women to participate in online education, and until this levelling factor is successfully addressed, the full potential for online learning may not be realised. Read the full article and watch Bill Gates introduction outlining his vision for online education here.