Abstract:

Technology is a powerful tool in extending and creating opportunities to innovate in higher education. For that the main aim of this paper is to know how social networks in academia and science can play an important role to empower women in researching and teaching. Therefore, in this paper the possibilities that the network provides to empower women in science are going to be described, to point out factors that can be make women more visible in society, in general, and in academia, specifically. Also, three examples of web 2.0 tools in academia (Academia, Researchgate and LinkedIn) are going to point out as examples of good practices to enhance the power of individuals and foster participation, critical-thinking, learning and sharing-culture. According with some authors collaboration and social interactions are also mainly a couple of functions that increase and empower the use of these spaces when you want to be connected with the world, in the sense that it can reduce the geographic distant. Certainly, social networks let women present themselves as a role-models that can be useful and empower other women.

Keywords:

Women, empower, higher education and technology.