Open and Distance Learning for the Professional Development of English Teachers in Chinese Higher Education

Teacher professional development and open and distance learning both convey the idea of lifelong learning, and thus were linked together. The pressure of a reform in China's College English teaching was discussed, which requires teachers grasp the chance of distance learning. To make use of the communication technology and achieve the goals of teachers' professional development, the author proposed an interactive model that contains four dimensions of interaction: learner with learner, learner with instructor, learner with content and learner with teacher in practice.