Open learning is an innovative movement in education that emerged in the 1970s and evolved into fields of practice and study. The term refers generally to activities that either enhance learning opportunities within formal education systems or broaden learning opportunities beyond formal education systems
(Susan, 2009)as cited in Wikipedia)
There is debate on the practice of open learning amongst learning institutions. From my layman’s eye, regardless of a definition of open learning created by scholars and practitioners; I like to hypothesize the terms ‘open’ , based on ENTRY that refers to the level of skill and knowledge (S/K) and learning process that refer to learning preferences.
So what is open learning? Should I say “Open, open and always open” as open, and the others are not open? Logically, if we say open means, all should open, and not even any of the entry and learning process is close. In other words, if we keep on controlling the learners on what and how they should learn, it is ‘not open.’
If this is the case, then the learning environment should also be open. The instructional system should also be open. It is as stated in one of the criteria in EDU 3.0, teachers and schools are everywhere.
Regardless of the physical or virtual classroom, the classroom model should be model by time and zone and across cultures with diverse backgrounds of the learners.
The arguments in this article are not academic writing, most of it which are just as my assumption and logical thinking. If you disagree, please put your comments. Your comments will enrich the definition of open learning that will benefit the practitioners as a whole.
Reference
D’Antoni, Susan (2009). “Open Educational Resources: reviewing initiatives and issues”. Open Learning. 24 (1 (Special Issue)): 3–10. doi:10.1080/02680510802625443