Studies have shown a discrepancy between what journalism education provides and what the industry desires. The root of this problem lies in the absence of providing procedural knowledge to students in classrooms. To provide a solution to this issue, this study examined the Self-Directed Learning (SDL) interactive model adopted by the Student Sports Union. Employing a semi-structured in-depth interview, this study examined the process through which eight journalists in the Student Sports Union (SSU) became experts. The results show that the SSU journalists’ SDL model promotes theoretical knowledge, hands-on experience, and an applied skill set for journalism, which are useful for transforming student journalists from novice to expert.