Open instruction as a step towards a school-based heutagogical approach: a scoping review of the German concept of Offener Unterricht

This paper addresses the conceptual ambiguity surrounding open instruction ( Offener Unterricht) in German-speaking educational discourse. It situates the concept within current international discussions on self-determined learning, co-determination, and learner autonomy —core principles also emphasized in heutagogical approaches. Open instruction is widely discussed in German-speaking educational discourse as a response to increasing classroom heterogeneity, individualized learning pathways, and growing demands for student participation. However, there is no shared understanding of the concept, nor a systematic operationalization of open instruction. Therefore, this study aims to examine how open instruction ( Offener Unterricht) and the opening of instruction ( Öffnung von Unterricht ) are defined and described in the literature through a scoping review including 49 German- or English-language publications focusing on school contexts (primary and secondary education) published since 2000. Using qualitative content analysis, the results reveal four central approaches to conceptualize open instruction: definitions based on key characteristics; instructional approaches; contrasts and distinctions; and dimensions of openness. Despite considerable conceptual heterogeneity, enabling students’ self-determination and co-determination emerges as a common core. Openness appears not as a dichotomous feature, but rather as a context-sensitive, gradually varying instructional design principle. The analysis resulted in the development of a model that conceptualizes openness in instruction as a dynamic design process rather than a predefined goal. The model can serve as a foundation for teachers’ practical considerations in instructional design and for future theoretical and empirical work. Thus, the model contributes to a more systematic description of open instruction.