Packages and resources can be developed and then amortised over a large number of participants and a variable length of time. I am not too bothered about the long debates we academics could enjoy defining what we mean by open learning. I am certainly not advocating here that there be no constraints - clearly in many circumstances, particularly those where the learning results in an accredited award, there have to be constraints. Once we have examined those constraints, let's make them as liberal as we possibly can while at the same time maintaining integrity as professional educators. In other words, our attitude should be to make learning open and only have minimal constraints where they are necessary, rather than have constraints that we only relax when it seems convenient or respectable to do so.
Technology now can do it with our help.
We only have to look at the statistics on the growth of external studies in Australia to see that. Distance education has been going from strength to strength throughout the world. Additionally, the community is acquiring the equipment necessary for use in education. I believe that all of these developments indicate what should by now be obvious - the community wants the greater flexibility that open learning and technology can afford. It is logical that it be so.