Disaffection of adult distance learners: A Chinese phenomenon?

In the paper, I explore the following five questions; (1) As concepts which originate in Western philosophies, are learner-centredness and learner autonomy relevant to China and other Confucian-heritage cultures? (2) Is learner-centred education adequate for promoting full learner autonomy? (3) What are the implications of learner-centred education and learner autonomy for online distance learning? (4) Are learner-centredness and learner autonomy desirable educational goals for online distance learning in Guangdong, China? And (5) If the answer to the previous question is 'yes', did the courses under study (see the third section) promote learner-centredness and learner autonomy? Involving 16 individuals in Guangdong Province, China, the research was guided by a multi-method phenomenological qualitative methodology. Based on the analysis of the findings in relation to the literature, tentatively answers to the five questions are offered. Copyright © 2005 The Asian Society of Open and Distance Education.