Supplemental Instruction

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is designed to organize and improve the ways in which students prepare for course material outside of class. SI is attached to a course to provide students with a systematic and disciplined approach for processing the subject material assigned by the professor.

Through this program an SI leader is assigned to a subject. This is a student who has demonstrated proficiency in a targeted subject and undergoes SI training. The SI leader schedules and conducts two to three group meetings a week at times convenient to members of the class.

During these sessions, the SI leader uses interactive learning strategies which encourage involvement, comprehension and synthesis of subject content. In addition, the SI leader will incorporate demonstrations of effective study techniques.

SI is not intended to create additional work for faculty. You can support SI by encouraging students to take advantage of SI. Faculty should avoid the suggestion that only those who do poorly will benefit. We hope faculty will meet with their assigned SI leader on occasion to check in about course material and trends.

The SI leader will attend class meetings; maintain a professional attitude about matters such as class standards, grades, and student complaints; and discourage students from attending SI as a substitute for class.

SI sessions are designed to provide students opportunities to actively utilize their class resources and participate in collaborative learning activities instead of a traditional "review session" type of experience.

That we train all SI leaders according to established guidelines and standards; monitor the activities and presentations of SI leaders, supervising their performance; and provide supplies, training, in-service experiences, and consultations for SI leaders.

Despite the title, the SI Leader does not directly teach or lecture during sessions. Instead, the leader facilities group collaboration to improve student understanding of the course topics. The SI Leader also does not answer student questions over email.

​Instead, students are encouraged to utilize professor office hours to get assistance on specific ​questions. The SI Leader should not participate in class discussions, proctor course exams, or be responsible for covering any material from the lab sections. Students have an assigned lab TA for the course, and the SI Leader will focus solely on material from the course lecture.