July 16, 2026 | By Keith Heumiller
Online learning requires students to manage time, stay engaged, and seek help when needed. These skills are especially important for postsecondary students who are balancing coursework with work, family, and other responsibilities. A new research brief from the Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative examines an approach designed to help students strengthen these learning habits in online courses.
The Self-Directed Learning Instructional Model can be implemented in any content-area course to promote effective student learning. The model includes three easy-to-implement instructional strategies intended to promote students’ sense of belonging, self-efficacy, planning, reflection, and help-seeking.
The research brief presents findings from a pilot study of the model conducted with faculty members across four community colleges and one university. The study included interviews with faculty, students, and administrators; surveys of faculty and students; and analysis of course outcomes.
Findings indicate that both faculty and students viewed the Self-Directed Learning Instructional Model as valuable and distinct from typical online course practices, and that faculty generally reported that the model was easy to implement.
“Online courses ask students to take an active role in managing their learning, but students do not always receive explicit support in developing those habits,” said co-author and Collaborative researcher Susan Bickerstaff.
“This study suggests that the Self-Directed Learning Instructional Model offers faculty a practical way to build that support into online courses, and that faculty and students felt these strategies could improve students’ experiences in online courses.”
The brief also highlights practical considerations for institutions interested in supporting adoption of the instructional model, including offering professional development and further easing implementation by embedding model components into course shells within learning management systems.
Interested in learning more?
Explore all of the Collaborative’s research on our events by visiting our Research Page, or by signing up for the Collaborative newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/Postsecnewsletter.
For more information, contact us at PostsecCollab@sri.com or follow us on X at @PostsecCollab.
Categories: Self-Directed Learning