The Collaborative studied how the Self-Directed Learning Instructional Model, with three strategies structured to build and mutually reinforce skills over a term, can support students’ self-directed learning (SDL) skills in online and hybrid STEM courses. This study helped identify practical, scalable ways to boost student success in digital learning environments.
In summer 2024, nine instructors at three colleges participated in a pre-pilot study to implement an early version of the model in their courses. The research team conducted interviews with faculty and students to gather insights into the instructional model’s usability and feasibility and to inform revisions of the model.
In spring 2025, 24 instructors at five institutions participated in a pilot study to test the revised model’s efficacy and included 50 course sections and 1,338 students in the study. The research team conducted interviews and surveys and analyzed administrative data to explore the model’s usability and feasibility, the model’s promise for improving student outcomes, and the time and resources needed to implement the model. The team used these data to inform the development of supplement resources to guide implementation.
The Self-Directed Learning (SDL) Instructional Model offers college educators three evidence-based strategies to help college students manage their online learning better.
Description of strategies
- Self-directed learning videos: 10-minute videos with a corresponding set of reflection questions for students to answer. These videos, informed by real student experiences, focus on sense of belonging, growth mindset, and time management.
- Self-directed learning prompts: A series of prompts embedded throughout the course, including reflective prompts to encourage students to plan time for coursework, reflect on progress to develop confidence and self-efficacy, and seek help when needed. The first set of prompts consists of three questions that can be implemented at any point during the course in the form of a single assignment, survey, or discussion board post. The second set of prompts, called an assessment wrapper, consists of a two-part assignment that should be assigned a week before a major assessment (pre-assessment) and after students have received their grades (post-assessment). The final prompt is a message to a future student, which invites students to reflect on their course performance. This prompt can be assigned as a written reflection or a video recording.
- Student-peer interaction & networking (SPIN): Instructor-integrated activities for online students to support each other, including introductory questionnaires and group assignments or online work sessions.
Explore each of the strategies in the SDL Instructional Model Course Implementation Guide.
Findings
- The Instructional Model combines familiar and novel activities in an intentional way. Faculty, students, and administrators described the Instructional Model as different from typical online course practice because it intentionally and systematically brought together a series of familiar and novel activities to support students’ motivation, planning, reflection, and connection. The collaborative activities stood out to faculty and students as the most different from what students usually experience in online courses in terms of their interactivity and connection with the instructor and other students.
- Instructors largely found the Instructional Model feasible to implement. Instructors said that implementing the model is feasible overall, with SPIN’s collaborative learning activities presenting some challenges in an online environment. Instructors appreciated the ready-to-use templates and materials and their associated flexibility.
- Students and faculty saw value in the Instructional Model activities. Most faculty reported seeing the value of the strategies, with the majority of surveyed instructors agreeing that each strategy was valuable for students. Many faculty reported that the information students provided in response to the prompts and video questions was useful in their teaching and informing adjustments to course content. Students perceived value in the strategies, though some felt that the model was more valuable for other students than themselves, such as those with less college experience.Additional supports and resources can promote broader adoption of the Instructional Model. When asked about scaling the model to other faculty at their institution, most faculty participating in the pilot study were positive. Administrators and instructors suggested supports that would promote broader adoption of the model, such as integrating training into existing professional development structures, pre-loading strategies into the LMS, and collaborating among peers implementing the model.
- The Instructional Model shows early evidence of promise. The pilot study did not detect statistically significant effects on students’ self-reported skills or mindsets or in their end-of-course grades. Null effects may be the result of low survey response rates and the small sample size; they may also suggest opportunities to refine the design and implementation of the Instructional Model. Other studies of the model’s strategies point to their promise to improve skills and academic outcomes.