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Supplemental Instruction

Supplemental Instruction (SI) involves utilizing a model student-peer who has recently and successfully completed a course to attend the course a second time and lead peer-facilitated study sessions over the course content outside of regular class hours. Since 1973, the data supporting the effectiveness of SI has remained consistent; on average, students who regularly attend SI sessions earn half to a full letter grade higher and earn D’s, F’s, and withdraw from courses less frequently than students who do not attend SI sessions (Dawson, 2014).  Additionally, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, after years of implementing their supplemental instruction program, reported a 7.8 percentage point overall increase in retention and $1.6 million return on investment (Civitas Learning, 2019). 

SI sessions are beneficial because they help students:

  • Improve their understanding of basic concepts
  • Compare notes with others
  • Build relationships with classmates
  • Develop study and learning strategies
  • Test their knowledge before the professor does

SI sessions start the first or second week of class. Each SI leader will hold one review session per week. SI sessions are free. Students are encouraged to attend as many as they'd like; however, statistics show that the more students attend, the better their grades at the end of the semester. 

SI Leaders:

SI leaders are current students who have been recommended by faculty that have previously earned a high grade in the course they have been hired to support. They attend class lectures, take notes, and are prepared to coach students on how to effectively study. SI leaders receive training and ongoing supervision from the Coordinator of Academic Support Services to enhance their skills on how to be an effective facilitator. During each SI session, SI leaders guide students through course concepts and shares strategies to enhance their success in the course. 

Photo of Morgan Hughes

Morgan Hughes
BIOL 200 (Section 01) - Dr. Tony Greenfield

Hometown: Sioux Falls, SD

Major: Biology

Classification: Senior

Sessions: Tuesdays 11am-12pm CH 224

Office Hour: Thursdays 12pm-1pm IL 224 (Deeann Griebel Student Success Center)

Photo of Sarah McDonald

Sarah McDonald
BIOL 201 (Section 01) / BIOL 201 Lab (Section 31) - Dr. Shelby Flint

Hometown: Prior Lake, MN

Major: Biology Ed and Chemistry Ed

Classification: Junior

Sessions: Thursdays 11am-12pm SM 175 

Office Hour: Wednesday 7-8pm IL 224 (Deeann Griebel Student Success Center) 

Photo of George Wolf

George Wolf
ECON 202 (Section 01) - Dr. Steve Davis

Hometown: Plymouth, MN

Major: Accounting

Classification: Senior

Sessions: Mondays from 11am-12pm in BA 319

Office Hour: Wednesdays and Fridays 11am-12pm IL 224 (Deeann Griebel Student Success Center)

Photo of Amanda Meyer

Amanda Meyer
ENG 251 (Sections 04 & 05) - Dr. Amanda Bemer

Hometown: Paynesville, MN

Major: English Education

Classification: Senior

Sessions: Wednesdays 4-5pm BA 229 

Office Hour: Tuesdays 2-3pm IL 224 (Deeann Griebel Student Success Center)

Photo of Alyssa Engels

Alyssa Engels
MATH 135 (Section 01) - Dr. Heather Moreland

Hometown: Ivanhoe, MN

Major: Applied Computational Math and Chemistry

Classification: Junior

Sessions: Tuesdays 5-6pm SS 202 

Office Hour: Thursdays 5-6pm IL 224 (Deeann Griebel Student Success)

Photo of Lesly Her

Lesly Her
MATH 200 (Sections 01 & 02) - Dr. Wije Wijesiri

Hometown: Milroy, MN

Major: Liberal Arts and Sciences

Classification: Sophomore

Sessions will be held in IL 224 (Deeann Griebel Student Success Center) on the below dates:

  • March 17 11:40am-12:40pm
  • March 22  2pm-3pm
  • March 29 2pm-3pm
  • April 6 12:15pm-1:15pm
  • April 13 3pm-4pm

Office Hours will be held in IL 224 (Deeann Griebel Student Success Center) on the below dates:

  • March 14 12:15pm-1:15pm
  • March 21 12:15pm-1:15pm
  • March 28 12:15pm-1:15pm
  • April 4 12:15pm-1:15pm
  • April 10 2pm-3pm

Photo of Taylor Haberman

Taylor Haberman
MGMT 101 (Sections 01 & 88) - Dr. Heather Rickgarn

Hometown: Brewster, MN

Major: Management

Classification: Sophomore

Sessions and Office Hours will be held on the below dates and times in IL 224 (Deeann Griebel Student Success Center): 

  • February 3 Office Hour 8:50-9:50am Session 9:50-10:50am
  • February 9 Session 1-2pm Office Hour 2-3pm
  • February 17 Office Hour 8:50-9:50am Session 9:50-10:50am
  • February 23 Session 1-2pm Office Hour 2-3pm
  • March 3 Office Hour 8:50-9:50am Session 9:50-10:50am
  • March 16 Session 1-2pm Office Hour 2-3pm
  • March 24 Office Hour 8:50-9:50am Session 9:50-10:50am
  • March 30  Session 1-2pm Office Hour 2-3pm
  • April 7 Office Hour 8:50-9:50am Session 9:50-10:50
  • April 13 Session 1-2pm Office Hour 2-3pm
  • April 21 Office Hour 8:50-9:50am Session 9:50-10:50am
  • April 27 Session 1-2pm Office Hour 2-3pm

Photo of Macie Langstraat

Macie Langstraat
PSYC 101 (Sections 01 & 03) - Dr. Laura Koenig & Dr. Ben Anderson

Hometown: Ankeny, IA

Major: Psychology

Classification: Junior

Sessions: Section 01 - Wednesdays 12-1pm SS 206 (NOTE: every other week will meet on Zoom) 

Sessions: Section 03 - Tuesdays 1:30-2:30pm Zoom  

Office Hour: Thursdays 1:30-2:30pm SS 206 and Zoom  

Frequently Asked Questions:

At each SI session, the leader will guide the students through the most difficult course concepts. SI Leaders will help students make good use of their time and share strategies that they used to be successful in the course. SI Leaders will not re-lecture, give out copies of their notes, help students with assigned homework, or encourage last minute test cramming. The overall goal of SI sessions it to incorporate a deeper understanding of course content with study skills that can be used with other coursework. 
SI Leaders are students themselves, who have previously taken the course and earned a high grade. Faculty typically recommend students to become an SI Leader. SI Leaders attend the same class sessions with students, take notes, and listen closely to the professor so they are prepared to share with students how to effectively study for the course. SI Leaders are supervised by SMSU's Coordinator of Academic Support Services. 
A team at SMSU meets to review DFW data and courses with equity gaps to determine which courses to target for SI support. The DFW rate for a course is the percentage of students who received either a D, F, or withdrew completely. Once a course has been selected by the team, support from the faculty member will be requested by the designated SI Faculty Liasion. 
SI Leaders are often recommended to the Coordinator of Academic Support Services by faculty within the department of the targeted course. Students can fill out an SI Leader application by clicking on the following link: SI Leader Application  
Faculty members can recommend an SI Leader by filling out the following form: SI Leader Nomination 
A faculty member that is offering SI in their course(s) will be asked to meet routinely with their assigned SI Leader to discuss material and strategies to be reviewed during SI sessions. The faculty member will also be asked to assist with the promotion of SI in their course. This could include introducing the SI Leader to the class to assist with building connections with peers, adding content in their course syllabus, and/or allowing the SI Leader to make announcements during class regarding upcoming SI sessions. 
The faculty member should include an informational statement that their course is offering SI. The faculty liaison for the SI program has a sample statement that can be used. The faculty member should also encourage students to attend the SI sessions with the SI leader to enhance their success in the course. 
For more information about Supplemental Instruction (SI), please visit: https://info.umkc.edu/si/faq/


If you have any questions or are interested in participating in SMSU's Supplemental Instruction program, please contact:

Hannah Kuno 
Coordinator of Academic Support Services 
Hannah.Kuno@SMSU.edu  
507-537-6820 

Dr. Laura Koenig 
SI Faculty Liaison 
Laura.Koenig@SMSU.edu 
507-537-7315  

References: 

Civitas Learning (2019). Measuring Supplemental Instruction Direct Impact on Persistence. https://media.civitaslearning.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/02/Civitas_Learning _University_Missouri_Kansas_City_CASE_STUDY_Impact.pdf 

Dawson, P., van der Meer, J., Skalicky, J., & Cowley, K. (2014). On the effectiveness of supplemental instruction: A systematic review of supplemental instruction and peer-assisted study sessions literature between 2001 and 2010. Review of Educational Research, 84(4). https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314540007 

University of Missouri-Kansas City FAQ. The International Center for Supplemental Instruction. (n.d.). Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://info.umkc.edu/si/faq/ 

 

Last Modified: 3/15/23 5:05 PM | Website Feedback


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