Special requirements for college teachers in the modern open and distance education

In the competitive society, every country in the world is relying on education to enhance its own overall national strength and develop its own economy by cultivating the elite and constructing the advanced knowledge. In the process, the open and distance education is a very good choice to implement education. This paper analyzes the background of open and distance education and its characteristics from the perspectives of students, teachers and the teaching process. Based on these characteristics, the paper points out the special requirements for college teachers in the open and distance education in order to go with the stream of lifelong education and fulfill the functions of education.