Skip to content
CAMPUS LIFE
ALUMNI
ATHLETICS
FOUNDATION

RESOURCES

SERVICES

PAGES

Leah Bittner

“The SMSU RN to BSN Program does not have you take a set amount of credits each semester. This flexible scheduling was perfect for me as it allowed me to vary the amount of credits I took each semester. I would have struggled without that flexibility as I am a non-traditional student who is also a wife, mother of four, and worked full time while completing my degree. This program is designed to fit into your life, whether you want to be a full-time or part-time student.”

Leah Bittner, '22 Alum
Search Icon
SEARCH

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. 

Nankling Andrew

Nankling Andrew
BIOL 200 (Section 01) - Dr. Tony Greenfield

Hometown: Abuja, Nigeria

Major: Biology

Classification: Junior

Sessions: Every Friday 12:00pm-1:00pm Student Center Conference Room (SC206)

Office Hours: Every Monday 2:00pm-3:00pm Deeann Griebel Student Success Center (DGSSC)

kaelyn-deroche

Kaelyn DeRoche
CHEM 231 (Section 01) - Dr. Benjamin Tokheim

Hometown: Superior, WI

Major: Biology

Classification: Junior

Sessions: Every Monday 5:30-6:30pm Library 3rd Floor

Office Hours: Every Wednesday 5:30-6:30pm Deeann Griebel Student Success Center (DGSSC)

 

stanger.jpg

Shane Rogers
ECON 202 (Section 01) - Dr. Steve Davis

Hometown: Storden, MN

Major: Computer Science

Classification: Sophomore

Sessions: Every Tuesday 4:00pm-5:00pm CH108

Office Hours: Every Monday 4:00pm-5:00pm CH108

Photo of Amanda Meyer

Amanda Meyer
ENG 251 (Sections 01) - Dr. Lisa Lucas

Hometown: Paynesville, MN

Major: English Education

Classification: Senior

Sessions: Every Tuesday 12:30pm-1:30pm CH104

Office Hours: Every Thursday 12:30pm-1:30pm Deeann Griebel Student Success Center (DGSSC)

Photo of Alyssa Engels

Alyssa Engels
MATH 150 (Section 01) - Dr. Heather Moreland

Hometown: Ivanhoe, MN

Major: Applied Computational Math and Chemistry

Classification: Senior

Sessions: Every Monday 3:00pm-4:00pm IL218

Office Hours: Every Wednesday 3:00pm-4:00pm IL218

Photo of Lesly Her

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

Hometown: Milroy, MN

Major: Justice Administration

Classification: Junior

Sessions: Every Wednesday 4:00pm-5:00pm Math Learning Center (2nd Floor IL)

Office Hours: Every Wednesday 2:00pm-3:00pm Math Learning Center (2nd Floor IL)

Photo of Taylor Haberman

Taylor Haberman
MGMT 101 (Sections 02) - John Rickgarn

Hometown: Brewster, MN

Major: Management

Classification: Sophomore

Sessions: Every Wednesday 3:30pm-4:30pm Deeann Griebel Student Success Center (DGSSC)

Office Hours: Every Mondays 9:50am-10:50am Deeann Griebel Student Success Center (DGSSC)

Photo of Macie Langstraat

Macie Langstraat
PSYC 101 (Sections 02 & 89) - Dr. Christine Olson

Hometown: Ankeny, IA

Major: Psychology

Classification: Senior

Sessions: Every Wednesday 1:30pm-2:30pm CH224

Office Hours: Every Thursday 1:45pm-2:45m Deeann Griebel Student Success Center (DGSSC)

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: 10/23/23 4:16 PM | Website Feedback


Visit SMSU

Request Info

Apply Now