The increasing emphasis on teacher-directed processing of adventure experiences may be devaluing both the learning experience and the promotion of self-reliance among students. The problem with "overprocessing" is that the teacher, not the student, decides what was learned and its relative value. In addition, this approach emphasizes…

Distance education's use of the instructional systems design model has been challenged by critics who suggest that the learner is passive and learning is superficial. A suggestion is that distance education should be structured so that learners assume a more active role in the development and use of autonomous and self-directed learning…

This paper presents a framework and model for design of open-ended learning environments (OELEs). First, an overview is presented that addresses key characteristics of OELEs, including: use of meaningful, complex contexts; provision of tools and resources; learner reflection and self-monitoring; and social, material, or technological scaffolding.…