This paper addresses two elements of teacher education in the United Kingdom (UK): open learning partnerships and the use of new technologies to develop a model of preservice education and training. The Open University Postgraduate Certificate in Education (OU PGCE) is a part-time course emphasizing standards in teaching and involving partnerships between schools (chosen by the students) and the OU to train teachers. The OU PGCE student population is dispersed throughout the UK, with students often based in their homes. Preservice education courses link remote students with each other and with course academics via an online learning community "populated" by expert and beginning teachers; yearly evaluation of students' use of this community indicate that 60 percent log on daily. Analysis of messages posted in the learning community's "subject/phase rooms" provides a record of how students develop knowledge of teaching. Learning within the online community is a collaborative, shared experience that encourages student driven interaction. Online conferences provide an open learning environment where students can explore and challenge their assumptions and inherent beliefs in a collaborative endeavor to rethink experience. In rethinking experiences, students set the foundation of future professionalism based on knowledge drawn from both the personal and the practical. Online conferencing is a way of developing an interactive professionalism with peers. An appendix presents program evaluation data. (Contains 24 references.) (SM)