In view of the apparent complexity and dynamism of the learner, only a systems approach to learning processes can provide a viable and practical frame of reference within which to conduct educational research. There are fundamental weaknesses in the current cybernetic model of learning, and therefore, it is useful to consider the learner as an active open system. This approach, drawing frequently upon Piagetian theory, seems to provide a more realistic picture of the autonomous learner and his changing cognitive structures. Von Bertalanffy's equations for the growth of the living organism can form a basis for an open system model of learning. The Model generates learning curves which suggest that a steady state is not always the outcome of learning. Some implications of the model for educational research are briefly examined in this paper. (Author/DC)