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Supplemental Instruction Program
Description
The SI Program
Supplemental Instruction is a non-remedial, institution-wide
approach to retention. Developed by Deanna C. Martin, Ph.D. at
the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1973, Supplemental
Instruction (SI) is an academic assistance program that increases
student performance and retention. The SI program targets traditionally
difficult academic courses--those that have a high percentage
rate of D or F grades or withdrawals, and provides regularly scheduled,
out-of-class, peer facilitated sessions. SI does not identify
high-risk students, but rather identifies high-risk courses.
SI Leaders
The SI leaders are the key people in the program. They
are presented as model "students of the subject." As such, they
present an appropriate model of thinking, organization and mastery
of the discipline. All SI leaders take part in intensive training
sessions before the beginning of the academic term. This training
covers such topics as how students learn as well as instructional
strategies aimed at strengthening student academic performances.
SI leaders attend all class sessions, take notes, read all assigned
material, and conduct two or more 50 minute SI sessions each week.
SI Sessions
The SI session integrates how-to-learn with what-to-learn.
Students who attend the SI session discover appropriate application
of study strategies as they review content material, note taking,
graphic organization, questioning techniques, vocabulary acquisition,
and test preparation. Students have the opportunity to become
actively involved in the course material as the SI leaders use
the text, supplementary readings, and lecture notes as vehicles
for learning skill instruction. SI sessions are held in the Learnrs
Community, S-405. SI sessions are attended on a voluntary basis
and no effort is made to segregate studentes based on academic
ability.
SI Supervisors
The SI supervisor, an on-site professional staff person,
implements and supervises the SI program and SI leaders. This
person is responsible for identifying the targeted courses, gaining
faculty support, selecting and training SI leaders, monitoring
the quality of the SI session, evaluating the program and reporting
results to campus administrators.
SI Results
SI students earn higher course grades and withdraw
less often than non-SI participants. Also, data demonstrates higher
re-enrollment and graduation rates. Faculty and staff from nearly
500 institutions in the US and abroad have been trained to implement
SI. Programs from the field report similar results.
History
of SI Program
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