Supplemental Instruction (SI)
Supplemental Instruction (SI) was created as an academic support model which uses peer-facilitated, collaborative group sessions to improve student retention. In an effort to improve student success rates in courses that traditionally have high rates of Ds, Es and Withdrawals (DEWs) at Arizona State University (ASU), Academic Support Network (ASN) offers colleges/departments the opportunity to work in partnership through the Supplemental Instruction program.
The SI model provided by ASN supports a range of small to large lecture courses by providing weekly out-of-class review sessions in smaller group settings to allow for discussion and collaborative study among students. Active participation with the material in a group setting enables students to build a framework and make more of a connection to the course content. As the SI Leader facilitates active learning and discussion about the material, students can ask questions and establish their own links to the subject matter. In addition, SI Leaders encourage student interaction as a way to develop an academic support network.
In collaboration with faculty, ASN hires SI Leaders who have previously completed the course, earned a grade of B- (2.77) or better, and are current ASU students. SI leaders must submit an application, complete an interview process, and participate in 10 hours of training prior to the start of their employment. SI Leaders must also be in academic good standing for the university. SI Leaders are supervised and evaluated by a full-time SI Coordinator in ASN who also provides ongoing training and development throughout each semester.
SI is a great way for students to get together with peers from class to discuss concepts, compare notes and share strategies. These structured study sessions are led by SI leaders – students who have successfully completed the class. SI Leaders attend all class sessions to keep up with course content and facilitate three or more study sessions each week.