Yes - if you right-click the little arrows in the middle edges of the screen (center right, center top, etc - one for each panel), you can decide whether you want the panel to open and close automatically, open automatically/close manually, open/ close manually... If the arrow is 'solid' in colour it won't open/close until you click on the edge of the panel. If the arrow looks dithered, then it's set to work automatically.
Mike.