An Introduction to Principles of Supplemental Instruction (SI)

Why are you Why are you here today?here today?

Maybe . . .Maybe . . .

You need a part-time job.You need a part-time job. You want to help students get better You want to help students get better

grades.grades. You want to work with an instructor you You want to work with an instructor you

admire.admire. You believe anyone can learn anything You believe anyone can learn anything

given enough resources, time on task, and given enough resources, time on task, and positive reinforcement.positive reinforcement.

You are excited about learning.You are excited about learning.

Supplemental InstructionSupplemental Instruction

Began at UMKC in 1973 Began at UMKC in 1973 Created by a graduate student in the Created by a graduate student in the

School of Education, Deanna MartinSchool of Education, Deanna Martin Initially used to support minority Initially used to support minority

students in the health sciencesstudents in the health sciencesNow offered at over 1800 colleges Now offered at over 1800 colleges

and universities worldwideand universities worldwide

What isSupplemental Instruction?

Supplemental Instruction (SI)Supplemental Instruction (SI)

Organized group study time facilitated by a near peer.

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

- - Johnson and JohnsonJohnson 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 Why is SI here today?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 tutoringStudy skill coursesRemedial subject

coursesWorkshopsCounseling sessions

Challenges with Traditional Approaches

Promotes a remedial image Inaccurate identification of “high

risk” studentsDifficult to evaluate effectiveness

How is SI different?How is SI different?

Tutorials vs. SITutorials vs. SITutor Tutor SI Leader SI Leader

Attendance Attendance compulsorycompulsory voluntaryvoluntary

TrainingTraining ad hocad hoc extensiveextensive

Nature of ProgramNature of Program Extension of the Extension of the curriculumcurriculum

Student driven: Student driven: balance wants balance wants and needsand needs

FocusFocus Tutor answers Tutor answers questionsquestions

Students answer Students answer questionsquestions

Target GroupsTarget Groups Promotes structured Promotes structured learning with a select learning with a select group group

Promotes peer Promotes peer collaborative collaborative learning within a learning within a diverse groupdiverse group

Evaluation Evaluation nonenone rigorousrigorous

Welcome all enrolled studentsTarget courses, not studentsEnsure voluntary and anonymous

participation Utilize trained, student facilitators

Supplemental InstructionPrograms

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 understandingReceive additional support from SI

Coordinator

What is your What is your goal as an SI goal as an SI

leader?leader?

Help students discover the connections Help students discover the connections between and within concepts. between and within concepts.

Encourage students to work together, Encourage students to work together, using each other as resources. using each other as resources.

Organize strategies that facilitate active Organize strategies that facilitate active processing of conceptual material.processing of conceptual material.

Encourage students to take responsibility Encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning. for their own learning.

Break the dependency cycle. Break the dependency cycle.

The Dependency CycleThe Dependency Cycle

The dependency cycle leads to The dependency cycle leads to students students

who are: who are:

Passive Passive SilentSilentGive upGive up

PassivenessPassiveness

Tell them (lecture, assign reading).Tell them (lecture, assign reading).

Professor/TutorStudents

SilenceSilence

Tell them again.

Professor/Tutor Students

Failed ProcessesFailed Processes

Tell them more slowly.

Professor/Tutor Students

Giving UpGiving Up

Give them something shiny with which to play.

Break the Dependency CycleBreak the Dependency Cycle

Tell them.

Professor/TutorStudents

Break the Dependency Cycle

Get them to tell each other.

SI Leader

Students

Break the Dependency CycleBreak the Dependency Cycle

Get them to tell you again.

SI Leader

Students

Break the dependency cycleBreak the dependency cycle

In breaking the dependency cycle, In breaking the dependency cycle, you make students responsible for you make students responsible for their own learning.their own learning.

This empowers students during the This empowers students during the SI session, in the classroom, and for SI session, in the classroom, and for their future. their future.

What makes a What makes a successful SI successful SI

program?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 ProgramsSuccessful SI Programs

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

Successful SI LeadersSuccessful SI Leaders

Attend classAttend classHold regular sessionsHold regular sessionsPlan collaborative learning activities Plan collaborative learning activities

based on the based on the most difficultmost difficult content contentEncourage students to discover the Encourage students to discover the

material themselvesmaterial themselvesDepend on support from others Depend on support from others

You are not alone:You are not alone:

SI CoordinatorFaculty Member

SI Student

SI Leader

What do you expect What do you expect to gain from your to gain from your

experience as an SI experience as an SI Leader?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 Benefits for SI Leaders

Be a part of higher education.Be a part of higher education.Contribute to the education of our Contribute to the education of our

citizenry.citizenry.Help students believe that they can Help students believe that they can

learn anything given enough learn anything given enough resources, time on task, and positive resources, time on task, and positive reinforcement.reinforcement.

Empower Students!Empower Students!

SI Works.SI Works.

Students Who Attend SIStudents Who Attend SI

Receive a lower rate of D, F or course Receive a lower rate of D, F or course withdrawalswithdrawals

Validated by the U.S. Department of EducationValidated by the U.S. Department of Education

SI

Non-SI

SI

Non-SI

SI

Non-SI SI

Non-SI

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

% DFW

Discipline

UMKC Percentage of DFW Seperated by Discipline: Fall 2003 - Fall 2006

SI 18.07% 16.11% 13.91% 30.18%

Non-SI 30.61% 27.50% 30.42% 43.04%

All Natural Science Humanities Math

Students Who Attend SI.Students Who Attend SI.

Earn higher mean final course gradesEarn higher mean final course grades

Validated by the U.S. Department of EducationValidated by the U.S. Department of Education

UMKC Mean Final Grades Seperated by Discipline: Fall 2003 - Fall 2006

SI SISI

SINon-SINon-SI

Non-SI

Non-SI

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Discipline

Mea

n F

inal

Gra

des

SI 2.78 2.81 2.73 2.43

Non-SI 2.45 2.51 2.35 1.97

All Natural Science Humanities Math

Students Who Attend SIStudents Who Attend SI

Persist (reenroll and graduate) at a Persist (reenroll and graduate) at a higher ratehigher rate

Validated by the U.S. Department of EducationValidated by the U.S. Department of Education

Percent Enrollment Following Percent Enrollment Following TermTerm

Differing Levels of Prior Achievement Differing Levels of Prior Achievement

(High School Rank and ACT) for FY 1997(High School Rank and ACT) for FY 1997

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Non-SI Participants 93.1% 79.0% 77.9%

SI Participants 92.9% 90.5% 85.6%

Top QuartileMiddle Two

QuartilesBottom Quartiles

SI Is Worldwide

Faculty and staff from 1800+ institutions have been trained

30 countries have SI programsEach semester, approx. 250,000

students participate in SI at 400+ institutions worldwide

You are now a part of the legacy.You are now a part of the legacy.