Differences, authority and learning

This is part of an assignment for one class and a challenge in another but I want to put it out here just to see what others think...

What is the difference between a scholar and good student? Also, how can one successfully "challenge" the "hegemony" of the learning process/environment? The second question comes from a perspectives of inquiry class and a professor suggesting from day one that we, challenge the authority in every class from questioning how one might actually accomplish the "learning objectives" in a course in any tangible way, to questioning how one truly knows what they know beyond positivism and dualistic thinking/solutions.

I've seen or heard rather, more than one professor go against the "banking concept of education" in favor of creating a participatory (and more egalitarian) climate for learning. I'm curious though how far that goes if students are unwilling to take control of their education, take responsibility for their own learning and NOT expect to play the role of empty vessel or as this professor likes to say, mindless automaton? Also, can you discount other factors that might influence one's in class participation? How does gender, race, class, religious and even sexual preference contribute to "learning" and even more, to who will view themselves as a "scholar" rather than someone who views higher education as a means to a specific (usually career change based) end. Anyhow, if anyone has any thoughts on this, please feel free to share.