SI Supplemental Instruction Michael Frizell, Director, Student Learning Services

Total Visits for Fall 2009 Writing Center: 2448 Online Writing Center: 183 (started at midterm) TOTAL: 2631 IN COMPARISON: Fall 2008 – 1879 visits Increase of 752 visits Fall 2006 and Spring 2007 – 2732 visits FA09 – 100 less visits Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 – 1735 visits Subject Area Tutoring: 690 MTH: 258 CHM: 87 PHY: 68 Unknown/Unclassified: 63 ACC: 49 BIO: 47 BMS: 40 ECO: 25 REL: 23 SPN: 19 CSC: 5 MGT: 2 Latin: 2 GLG: 1 JRN: 1 Math Drop-In: 1515 TOTAL VISITS: 4836 TOTAL VISITS: 4836

Supplemental Instruction is… Regularly scheduled, voluntary, and anonymous. Assigned to Historically Difficult Courses Student Facilitated Review Sessions

Key persons involved with the SI program SI Director Oversees all operations. SI Supervisor The graduate assistant assigned to the Director. Faculty Member The instructor of the identified course. Students The students in the identified course. SI Leader A student who has already taken the identified course.

Breaking the Dependency Cycle Tell them. Tell each other. Get them to tell you!

Repeating Failed Processes Tell them. Tell them again. Tell them again more slowly. Give them something shiny with which to play.

Supplemental Instruction: What are its advantages and how is it done? Faculty Guide Book pages 1, 2, 3 SI Supplemental Instruction

Introduction Created in 1973, SI is now used in over 2500 colleges around the world. SI Supplemental Instruction

Part I Advantages of Supplemental Instruction Faculty Guide Book pages 5-12 SI Supplemental Instruction

The Faculty Role in SI: Faculty Guide Book Pages 5 & 6 Allow time during the first week of class for the Leader to introduce self and SI as well as conduct a survey Allow Leader to make weekly announcements Post SI Session Schedule on BlackBoard (if applicable) Promote SI Order desk copies of texts OPTIONAL: Tips to Promote Attendance –Create a short study guide or other material for SI Session –Offer extra-credit for the first two weeks of SI Sessions –Make a brief visit to an SI Session SI Leaders are mandated to meet with faculty, preferably WEEKLY, but I leave it to your discretion.

Students look to other students for help instead of relying on the tutor all the time. This helps break their dependency on tutoring. SI Supplemental Instruction

It’s cost efficient. We are able to tutor more students with the same number of tutors. COST OF SI PER STUDENT, SP09- $ 0.07 SI Supplemental Instruction

It allows tutors to focus on one subject, so they don’t have to juggle multiple classes at the same time. Faculty Guide Book pages 11 & 12 SI Supplemental Instruction

Tutors don’t have to repeat the same thing for each student. All students from one course will be there at the same time, so they can all hear it together. SI Supplemental Instruction

Students benefit from a diversity of ideas and points of view. SI Supplemental Instruction

Students learn to work as a team with people of different backgrounds and personalities. SI Supplemental Instruction

Students can springboard ideas off each other benefitting from valuable feedback. SI Supplemental Instruction

Students can help each other overcome their weak areas. SI Supplemental Instruction

The best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. SI Supplemental Instruction

Students explaining to other students helps them to overcome their doubts and validate their understanding of the material. SI Supplemental Instruction

Part II Guidelines for conducting a Supplemental Instruction Session Faculty Guide pages 13 & 14 SI Supplemental Instruction

The SI Leader is to act as a facilitator not an instructor or Teaching Assistant. Faculty Guide Book pages SI Supplemental Instruction

Let the students know you’ll be tutoring them as a group Let the students know you encourage each individual’s input Arrange seating and notes in a way that encourages interaction and visibility Encourage participation SI Supplemental Instruction

Wait for students to answer the question. It’s important to be patient and let students formulate as many answers as they can on their own. SI Supplemental Instruction

Provide direction, not dictatorship Keep the discussion focused on the class material and moving at a pace appropriate to the skill level of the students in the group. SI Supplemental Instruction

Help make the session as productive as possible by avoiding spending time on irrelevant topics, avoiding arguing between students, and avoiding repetition of concepts already covered. SI Supplemental Instruction

SI Leaders are told to: Encourage interaction by having students answer each others questions Guide the conversation, but remember to limit how much you talk Ask open-ended questions Ask the students to vote on an answer, instead of giving a blanket “yes” or “no” response SI Supplemental Instruction

Ask probing questions. For example if a student got a wrong answer for a question, ask them why they thought their answer was correct and how they got that answer. Rephrase questions that do not yield comments SI Supplemental Instruction

Don’t always clarify with an explanation; use silence. Encourage students to answer questions, right or wrong. If you are unsure of whether one student’s explanation is understood by others in the group, ask one or two of them to explain in their own words. SI Supplemental Instruction

Don’t allow individuals to dominate participation. Try to involve everyone in the learning activity; try to draw non- participants into the activity. Be respectful SI Supplemental Instruction

Provide closure when the session comes to an end. Ask the students what they learned, what they need further clarification on, or what they would like to cover in the next session. Summarize the ideas presented in sessions SI Supplemental Instruction Summary of Supplemental Instruction Training Advantages of SI Discuss some of the advantages mentioned and clarify if necessary II.Guidelines for SI Leaders Discuss some of the guidelines mentioned for conducting a productive SI session and clarify if necessary

SI Participants… …earn higher mean final course grades. …receive lower rates of D, F, and W grades. …persist (reenroll and graduate) at higher rates.

Academic Disciplines Using Supplemental Instruction National Data, Fall 2003 – Fall 2006, 37 Institutions, 1003 Courses, n = 119,009 Students

Study Skills & Other Presentations For Departments, Classes, and Organizations, I offer workshops in: –Note-Taking –Test Taking & Anxiety –Standardized Testing –Essays and Writing –Motivation –Personal Essays –APA, MLA, Chicago, etc. –Custom Topic for the Course!

Michael Frizell Director Missouristate.edu st Floor Meyer WEB: Writingcenter. Missouristate.edu Supplemental Instruction WEB: SI.Missouristate.edu Meyer 112

References: The websites for these institutions: American River College, CA Austin Library System Gallaudet School for the Deaf, Washington, DC Georgia Military College Owensboro Community College, KY Three Rivers Community College, CT SI Supplemental Instruction