Strategies to Support Self-Directed Learning in Online College Courses

A banner advertising the webinar 'Strategies to Support Self-Directed Learning in Online College Courses'

Thursday, July 16, 3-4pm ET (60 min.) 

College educators, instructional designers, academic leaders, and student success professionals are invited to join a public webinar at 3pm ET on July 16 to explore a new Self-Directed Learning (SDL) Instructional Model, an evidence-based approach designed to strengthen student learning, engagement, and success in online and hybrid courses.

Developed by the Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative – a federally funded research, development, and capacity-building partnership between SRI, the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College, Achieving the Dream, and nine colleges and universities – the model provides practical, flexible instructional strategies to support students in managing their remote learning more effectively.

Centering on key dimensions of self-directed learning, including motivation, planning, reflection, help-seeking, and growth mindset, the model is the result of five years of research and collaboration between the Collaborative, educators, administrators, and students in community colleges and broad-access four-year institutions across the U.S.

The free virtual webinar, led by Collaborative researchers and student and faculty pilot study participants from Odessa College, will offer a detailed exploration of the instructional model, an overview of its accompanying implementation and campus resource guides, and an interactive Q&A.


During the webinar, participants will:

  • Learn about the research and evidence behind the SDL Instructional Model
  • Explore the model’s three core strategies:
    • SDL Videos to build motivation and productive learning mindsets
    • SDL Prompts to support planning, self-monitoring, and adaptation
    • Student-Peer Interaction and Networking (SPIN) activities to foster connection and collaborative learning
  • Hear from an instructor and a student who used the strategies in real-world courses
    Explore free implementation resources for instructors, institutional leaders, and administrators
  • Discover how these strategies can be integrated into existing online and hybrid courses with minimal additional instructional burden

“Online learning environments offer tremendous opportunities, but they also require students to take a more active role in managing their learning,” said Jessica Mislevy, the Collaborative’s principal investigator. “This model incorporates years of research into self-directed learning and student development and offers practical, easily embedded course strategies designed to support student motivation, engagement, and academic success.”

Presenters