Abstract  This paper describes major trends in learner-adapted teaching systems towards greater learner control over the learning process. In the early teaching systems, the goal was to build a clever teacher able to communicate knowledge to the individual student. Recent and emerging work focuses on the learner exploring, designing, constructing, making sense and using adaptive systems as tools. Correspondingly, systems are being built to give the learner greater responsibility and control over all aspects of the learning, and especially over the learner model which is at the core of user-adaptation. A parallel trend is the growing acknowledgement of the importance of the learner's social context. Systems are increasingly being designed for learners working in groups of real or simulated peers. This paper discusses several elements of the shift to greater learner control, with a focus on the implications for learner modelling. The computer may offer the learner a choice of learning tools and companion learners, on-demand learning of various types, control over the elements of the systems and the possibility of controlling the amount of control. Learner control offers promising possibilities for improved learning. At the same time, there are pragmatic issues for achieving the benefits. The paper discusses three of these: the need to evaluate the effectiveness of the emergent learner-controlled systems; problems with learner control; and the need for interoperable and reusable components.