Supplemental Instructors

Overview

Developed in 1973 at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Supplemental Instruction is an academic assistance program that increases student performance and retention. The SI Program targets traditionally difficult academic courses - those with a high rate of "D" or "F" grades and withdrawals - and provides regularly scheduled, out-of-class, peer facilitated study sessions. SI does not identify high-risk students, but rather identifies high-risk courses.

Assistance begins the first full week of the semester and is conducted by SI Leaders, students who have demonstrated competence in this or a comparable course (ideally by already having taken the course from the same professor and having performed well in that class.) SI sessions themselves are comprised of students of varying abilities.

SI Leaders take part in training sessions prior to the beginning of the semester. The training covers such topics as how students learn as well as learning strategies aimed at strengthening student academic performance. SI Leaders attend class sessions, take notes, and conduct two or more hour long SI sessions each week during the term.

SI sessions are designed to integrate how-to-learn with what-to-learn. During these SI sessions, students discover appropriate application of study strategies, review course content, and become actively involved in the course material.

The SI Supervisor is a faculty member who, along with a faculty committee, oversees the implementation and supervision of the program. Further responsibilities include designing and conducting the SI Leader training sessions, identifying targeted courses, monitoring the quality of the SI sessions, arranging for logistical support from Campus Police and Records and Registration, and for evaluating the SI program.

SI Leaders communicate with the SI Supervisor individually and in groups throughout the semester. There is overwhelming statistical evidence to support the claims that SI students earn higher course grades (nationally about .5 in terms of GPA) and withdraw less often than non-SI students. At present there are SI leaders in calculus, statistics, biology, chemistry, physics, economics, political science, philosophy and Chinese.

For more information please contact Dr. Evelyn Bailey.