What is the Supplemental Instruction Program?

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is designed to increase student retention and student success in courses that have historically proven difficult for Kennesaw State University students. It is a learning enhancement program. SI is designed to organize and improve the ways in which students prepare for class outside of class. SI is attached to a subject to provide students with a systematic and disciplined approach for processing the subject material assigned by the professor. Through this program an SI leader is assigned to a subject. This is a student who has demonstrated proficiency in a targeted subject and undergoes SI training. SI features weekly review sessions that are open to all students in the selected course who choose to attend. Sessions are facilitated by a trained SI leader who involves students in active learning: comparing and reviewing class notes, discussing important concepts, preparing for tests and exams, and developing study strategies appropriate to the course material. The SI leader uses interactive learning strategies that encourage involvement, comprehension and synthesis of subject content. Student leaders are chosen with the approval of the faculty member, trained and supervised by SI Coordinator and paid through the SI budget.

Modeled after a 25-year program at the University of Missouri at Kansas City , SI is a program available in select courses in the core curriculum. SI is offered fall through spring quarters. Student attendance to all sessions is voluntary and SI Sessions are scheduled at times when the majority of student's in SI supported courses can attend.

Objectives of SI

• Increase student skills in comprehension, analysis, critical thinking, and problem solving.
• Integrate review of course content with study skills and learning strategies.
• Increase re-enrollment and persistence of participating students.

What is the role of the SI Leader?

The SI Leader's primary purpose is to connect course content by involving students in sharing class notes, solving problems, using handouts, taking practice tests and exams and reviewing study skills. In SI, students connect what-to-learn with how-to-learn. SI Leaders help students become effective independent learners.

Why was my subject selected for SI?

SI targets historically difficult subjects. In other words, this subject contains content that students consider to be challenging. SI is designed to support faculty teaching and is assigned to a subject because of what is being taught, not because of the manner in which it is being taught.

What will I be required to do?

SI is not intended to create additional work for faculty. The faculty member is asked to recommend as potential SL leaders several undergraduate students who have recently been successful in the course. Upon selection of one of these students the faculty member is asked to support SI by maintaining liaison with the student leader throughout the semester.

You can support SI by granting time for occasional in-class announcements and be supportive of the program by encouraging students to take advantage of SI. Faculty should avoid the suggestion that only those who do poorly will benefit.

Additionally, faculty members are asked, if possible, to send the grades after each class test and at the conclusion of the course .(Institutional approval has been given to collect this data and students' rights to privacy regarding this information will be fully protected.) This information enables us to determine to what extent students who regularly attend the SI sessions are benefiting from the sessions. The SI leader will share our findings with the course instructor as well as with the entire class in order to encourage more students to attend SI sessions. At the end of the semester, a full report will be provided to the faculty member.

All SI Leaders are required to sign a confidentiality statement and understand and accept the responsibility to preserve the confidentiality of privileged information.

What should I expect from the SI Leader?

The SI leader will:

• Attend all class meetings
• Maintain a professional attitude about matters such as class standards, grades, and student complaints
• Discourage students from attending SI as a substitute for class
• Share SI materials with the cooperating faculty member before use, if possible
• Provide feedback to the cooperating faculty member if requested to do so.

What should I expect from the SI Program?

 We will:

• Cooperate with faculty in selecting candidates for SI leaders and place leaders only with the approval of the cooperating faculty member
• Train all SI leaders according to established guidelines and standards
• Monitor the activities and presentations of SI leaders for as long as necessary by attending class with them, helping plan sessions and supervising their performance
• Provide supplies, training, in-service experiences and consultations for SI leaders

What are faculty members doing?

Here are some things that faculty members have done in the past to help encourage students to attend SI sessions.

Extract from the syllabus

Together we can make a difference.

If you have any questions about Supplemental Instruction,
please contact Ms Fiona Brantley.

Send emails regarding this web site to: fbrantle@kennesaw.edu
This page last modified June 18, 2007
Copyright © Kennesaw State University