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.