An Introduction to Principles of Supplemental Instruction (SI)

Why are you here today?

Maybe... You need a part-time job. You need a part-time job. You want to help students get better grades. You want to help students get better grades. You want to work with an instructor you admire. You want to work with an instructor you admire. You believe anyone can learn anything given enough resources, time on task, and positive reinforcement. You believe anyone can learn anything given enough resources, time on task, and positive reinforcement. You are excited about learning. You are excited about learning.

Supplemental Instruction Began at UMKC in 1973 Began at UMKC in 1973 Created by a graduate student in the School of Education, Deanna Martin Created by a graduate student in the School of Education, Deanna Martin Initially used to support minority students in the health sciences Initially used to support minority students in the health sciences Now offered at over 1800 colleges and universities worldwide Now offered at over 1800 colleges and universities worldwide

What is Supplemental Instruction?

Supplemental Instruction (SI) Organized group study time facilitated by a near peer.

Students who study in groups learn two and a half times more than those who study alone if the groups stay on task. - Johnson and Johnson

SI sessions are NOT:   tutoring   re-lecturing

The SI session revolves around student-to- student interaction and cooperative learning.

These mice are a lot like students on the first day of lecture, facing a problem- solving opportunity alone.

Here the mice are having an SI session. And just like any good SI session, you can’t tell which one is the leader!

Here the mice are practicing cooperative learning. After all, they had to decide who got to be on top and who had to be on the bottom.

Why is SI here today?

... almost half of all enrolled college freshmen will not graduate with a college degree.

Graduation Rates Entering College Students Vincent Tinto, Leaving College, 1993 Dropout 42.9%First Institution 35.7% Subsequent Institution 21.4%

Traditional Programs for High- Risk Students Individual tutoring Study skill courses Remedial subject courses Workshops Counseling sessions

Challenges with Traditional Approaches Promotes a remedial image Inaccurate identification of “high risk” students Difficult to evaluate effectiveness

How is SI different?

Tutorials vs. SI Tutor SI Leader Attendancecompulsoryvoluntary Training ad hoc extensive Nature of Program Extension of the curriculum Student driven: balance wants and needs Focus Tutor answers questions Students answer questions Target Groups Promotes structured learning with a select group Promotes peer collaborative learning within a diverse group Evaluationnonerigorous

Welcome all enrolled students Target courses, not students Ensure voluntary and anonymous participation Utilize trained, student facilitators Supplemental Instruction Programs

Supplemental Instruction Program Leaders Begin services the first week of classes Attend class with the students Provide regularly scheduled sessions outside of class Organize class material to ensure conceptual understanding Receive additional support from SI Coordinator

What is your goal as an SI leader?

Help students discover the connections between and within concepts. Help students discover the connections between and within concepts. Encourage students to work together, using each other as resources. Encourage students to work together, using each other as resources. Organize strategies that facilitate active processing of conceptual material. Organize strategies that facilitate active processing of conceptual material. Encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning. Encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning. Break the dependency cycle. Break the dependency cycle.

The Dependency Cycle The dependency cycle leads to students who are: Passive Passive Silent Silent Give up Give up

Passiveness Tell them (lecture, assign reading). Tell them (lecture, assign reading). Professor/Tutor Students

Silence Tell them again. Professor/Tutor Students

Failed Processes Tell them more slowly. Professor/Tutor Students

Giving Up Give them something shiny with which to play.

Break the Dependency Cycle Tell them. Professor/Tutor Students

Break the Dependency Cycle Get them to tell each other. SI Leader Students

Break the Dependency Cycle Get them to tell you again. SI Leader Students

Break the dependency cycle In breaking the dependency cycle, you make students responsible for their own learning. In breaking the dependency cycle, you make students responsible for their own learning. This empowers students during the SI session, in the classroom, and for their future. This empowers students during the SI session, in the classroom, and for their future.

What makes a successful SI program?

Successful SI Programs Class attendance by the leaders Training that includes modeled strategies and simulated sessions Regularly scheduled sessions Sessions that incorporate course content and learning strategies Faculty support Data collection and evaluation

Successful SI Programs Most importantly, stem from successful SI leaders. Most importantly, stem from successful SI leaders.

Successful SI Leaders Attend class Attend class Hold regular sessions Hold regular sessions Plan collaborative learning activities based on the most difficult content Plan collaborative learning activities based on the most difficult content Encourage students to discover the material themselves Encourage students to discover the material themselves Depend on support from others Depend on support from others

You are not alone: SI Coordinator Faculty Member SI Student SI Leader

What do you expect to gain from your experience as an SI Leader?

Benefits for SI Leaders Gain leadership skills Earn personalized recommendations from professor Understand content more thoroughly Improve resume Increased chance of acceptance to post- graduate study programs and employment opportunities

Benefits for SI Leaders Be a part of higher education. Be a part of higher education. Contribute to the education of our citizenry. Contribute to the education of our citizenry. Help students believe that they can learn anything given enough resources, time on task, and positive reinforcement. Help students believe that they can learn anything given enough resources, time on task, and positive reinforcement. Empower Students! Empower Students!

SI Works.

Students Who Attend SI  Receive a lower rate of D, F or course withdrawals Validated by the U.S. Department of Education

Students Who Attend SI.  Earn higher mean final course grades Validated by the U.S. Department of Education

Students Who Attend SI  Persist (reenroll and graduate) at a higher rate Validated by the U.S. Department of Education

Percent Enrollment Following Term Differing Levels of Prior Achievement (High School Rank and ACT) for FY 1997

SI Is Worldwide Faculty and staff from institutions have been trained 30 countries have SI programs Each semester, approx. 250,000 students participate in SI at 400+ institutions worldwide

You are now a part of the legacy.