Open learning : new roles for teachers and students

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The perception of open learning can misleadingly imply that a person can learn what they want, how they want and when they want. Whilst in part this is true, such an optimistic view of learning sits at odds with the complex interplay of the learning processes used by learners (Naiman, et al,1995), and their distinct preferences; some of whom are motivated to learn in classrooms and some alone from books (Longworth, 2005). This paper argues that moving from traditional teacher-centered face-to-face teaching to a more open model involves individualizing instruction and placing responsibility within the hands of the individual (Dickenson, 1987:10). This necessitates a transformation of the roles implicit in teacher-student relations, as well as a change of attitude.