Self-Directed

Learning
Teacher Workshop
Jill Sundlof
Spring 2024
Self-Directed Learning Workshop
Inquiry question: What are some feasible
and flexible strategies that virtual teachers
can adopt to help promote a schoolwide
culture of self-directed learning?

Context: This workshop will be delivered

primarily to virtual high school teachers
during a Promising Practices PD at California
Virtual Academies (CAVA). Our school is
entirely virtual and serves a diverse
population of students from across the state
of California.
Project Summary
Self-Directed Learning Workshop for Virtual Teachers (Slides) - In this
Promising Practices workshop, teachers will be given a variety of ready-to-edit resources that promote
self-directed learning skills in the virtual classroom. Teachers will select one resource to explore, copy,
and customize for their own classroom. Teachers will move themselves into breakout rooms based on
their selection and collaborate with other teachers while editing their own copy of the resource. Teachers
may share ideas to add, subtract, or modify the resource, or share their own alternative SDL resources
with their breakout group.

SDL Workshop Resource Page - All participants in the workshop will receive a complete list
of the workshop SDL resources (I made these!). The resource page includes a force-copy for each
resource, a view-only copy, and a sample edit showing how the resource can be adapted to a specific
classroom.
 Connection to Leadership Standards
ISTE 2.6.a. Foster Student Ownership of Learning -
Foster a culture where students take ownership of their
learning goals and outcomes in both independent and
group settings.

TLMS Domain 1: Fostering a collaborative culture to

support educator development and student learning

Teachers will be introduced to a variety of classroom

ready virtual resources that help to promote a schoolwide
culture of self-directed learning in all classes. Resources
can be used in individual, small group, and whole group
instruction. Teachers will explore strategies for
implementing the self-directed learning cycle in both
homeroom and content class settings.
 Progress Updates
• I have curated and modified four ready-to-edit resources
that will be shared during the workshop.

• I have secured a presentation slot at my school’s upcoming

Promising Practices PD.

• I have made my workshop slides, set up the breakout

rooms, and created a complete list of all the workshop
resources that will be shared with the workshop
participants.

Next I will…
• Present at Promising Practices! I am ready to go!!
• Analyze post-surveys and reflect with my mentor
Pits and Peaches!
My “pit” has been the time and effort I have put into making my
shareable resources for the SDL workshop. These are
resources that I use in my own classroom, but I needed to
make new copies that were in a clean and organized template
format. I also spent a bit of time locating and perfecting the
sample resources for teachers to view. It was a long and
tedious effort to curate every resource for the workshop, but I
think it is going to be appreciated by my colleagues.

My “peach” has been the wonderful guidance and support I

have received from my program mentor Manon. She has been
so enthusiastic about my project since the beginning, but she
has also offered the most valuable feedback to help me revise
my work. She has offered such an honest and encouraging
perspective that has led me to feel very confident in leading this
upcoming workshop!
So far I have…
• Presented! I delivered two 25-minute workshops
during CAVA’s Promising Practices PD. Teachers got
to select from a variety of teacher-led PDs to attend
during the two sessions. I had ~36 participants
between the two groups.

• Reflected and Celebrated the participant feedback

surveys with my mentor Manon! I received
overwhelmingly positive feedback from teachers who
participated in the workshop. We noticed that every
resource I shared was chosen by a teacher, with the
digital notebook being most popular.Teachers shared
that they are eager to try one or more of the SDL
resources in their own classrooms.
Next I will…
• Bring my ideas to administrators - The principals and
administration have spearheaded the effort to incorporate SDL into
our schoolwide culture, but they are looking for feedback and ideas.
Currently, we are using a Google Spreadsheet workbook for
homeroom students to regularly engage in SDL, but many students
and teachers dislike this format. My homeroom reflection survey that
was shared during the workshop serves as an effective alternative to
the workbook that still hits on all the necessary SDL objectives. Many
teachers expressed interest in using this alternative option, and it
could be promoted on a schoolwide level.

• Continue Research and Collaboration for SDL - I truly believe that

building a culture of SDL is a uniquely essential effort for virtual
schools. I know there are bright and creative teachers at my school
who are implementing new strategies for SDL every day, and I want
to collect and collaborate on that knowledge. I would like to continue
my learning of SDL by attending outside conferences and PDs, and
bringing my findings back to my school to continue leading and
building the SDL culture.
More Pits and Peaches!
The biggest pit during my SDL workshop was Newrow, the virtual classroom
platform we have been using for three years! It kept glitching during my workshop! I
went into a breakout room and my mic wouldn’t work, and in the second session I
could not get into the breakout rooms at all. I should have expected this, Newrow
comes up with creative glitches all the time. My mentor couldn’t get into the second
session to help moderate. It was a major speed bump having to deal with the tech
issues, but I managed to get everybody across the finish line with a worthwhile
experience. Good thing we are switching platforms next year…

The teacher feedback I have received from the workshop has been an
overwhelming peach for me! Teachers reported high levels of overall satisfaction
with the survey. Almost every participant had a tangible “aha!” moment to share in
their survey related to the SDL Resources that I shared. Everyone seemed to
gravitate towards at least one resource that they found useful. They appreciated
that I shared the entire variety of resources on an easy to access page, even though
we only had a short workshop period together. I knew my slides and resources
looked nice, but getting positive feedback from the teachers is what made this
workshop an absolute success!
 Thank you!
With special Thanks to:
Manon Berning - Program Mentor, CAVA
Jacquelyn Christy, Ed.D. - Teacher Induction Instructor, CSUF