Supplemental Instruction
ALLIES in STEM has launched Cal Lutheran's first Supplemental Instruction (SI) program.
What is Supplemental Instruction?
Supplemental Instruction (SI), created at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, is an academic support program that targets historically difficult courses and implements corresponding group study sessions facilitated by a Peer Academic Leader. These study sessions go way beyond homework help! Instead, SI sessions are regularly scheduled, informal review sessions in which students compare notes, discuss readings, develop organizational tools, and predict test items.
SI sessions facilitate the acquisition of learning strategies and support deeper integration of classroom material. Research shows that students who regularly participated in SI sessions increased their grades in the course by a half to a full letter grade.
SI sessions are facilitated by ‘SI Leaders’, students who have previously done well in the course and who attend all class lectures, take notes, and act as model students. They are current students, just like you. They are students at the top of their game who are willing to help others succeed. They aren’t TAs and they don’t have access to grades or other student data, but they do have extensive knowledge in the course content and they go through extensive training in group facilitation and learning strategies.
SI is a FREE service offered to all students in a targeted course. All students are encouraged to attend SI sessions, and SI sessions benefit students across all levels of academic preparedness.
What does SI look like?
At first glance, an SI session would look like a group of peers studying together! You probably wouldn’t be able to identify the SI Leader right away, because in an SI session, the leader should not be doing all of the talking. SI is a successful support because it capitalizes on the power of group learning, with each student contributing to the learning of all.
SI leaders carefully plan each session based on the material that has been presented recently in that course. The focus is on deeper conceptual understanding, and collaborative learning. SI Sessions are a great way to get to know other students in your classes!
View a Mock SI Session click --> here
Questions about SI?
Email Allies@CalLutheran.edu