UNESCO characterizes open learning as "freedom of access to training resources made available to the learner, without any restrictions, that is: no access conditions, itinerary and learning rhythm selected by the learner according to his or her availability, and conclusion of a contract between the learner and the institution". Open learning takes into account the singularity of people in their individual and collective dimensions, and it is based on learning situations which are supplementary and composite in terms of time, place, educational, human and technological mediations, and resources.
Other definitions can be found at the educnet site at: www.educnet.education.fr/dossier/eformation/distance5.htm
This definition from educnet illustrates the concept a little better:
ODL integrates information and communication technologies, adapts to individuals and tailors the training.
ODL can therefore be partly or completely at a distance.
Besides the traditional learning situations, an ODL system is supported by one or more situations such as:
- correspondence courses ;
- online training systems ;
- resource centres ;
- courses broadcasted through radio or television (on demand or not) ;
- collective or individual remote presentations (remote courses, remote tutorial system) ;
- virtual campuses or virtual classes,
etc...
It is a learning system which provides great autonomy for the student.
Rather than being a restrictive element linked to distance learning, this autonomy is placed in the core of the process of
adapting training for any education. Therefore, training focused on the learner should at the same time:
- Transmit knowledge
- Generate activities for appropriation of knowledge and construction of proper know-how.
The great diversity of people who are concerned by so-called open learning calls for a variety of resources for training and activities with integrated self-assessments. The breaking up into elementary objectives determines the size of indivisible parts of training making up the teaching modules.
It is also on these bases that production tools for contents specifically adapted for ODL have been developed at the
Centre Avicenne du Savoir – France (Marseille). These tools take into consideration the technical constraints of accessing
the network without losing the multimedia and interactive quality of the products, nor the respect for norms and standards
in force (SCORM, LDAP,…).
Open University of the Mediterranean Region
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