(calm music)
- The purpose of the International Center
for Supplemental Instruction or SI
is to increase the graduation rates of students,
improve student grades in historically difficult courses
and increase retention of all students as well.
SI is a great way for us
to go over difficult concepts covered in class.
It's not tutoring and we don't go over graded work.
So going to class is critical
for understanding the content covered in SI sessions.
- I also like that SI is anonymous to the professors.
- Yeah, and sometimes it's a little nerve wracking
to ask questions in class.
So going to SI Sessions allows you to work together
with your peers to get the help that you want and need.
- As a SI leader, I would say that going to SI sessions
allows students to designate time to study each week,
collaborate with their peers,
and reinforce the material learned in class.
- We have found that when students attend SI sessions,
they have a greater mastery of the material.
They are much more engaged in the class
and their grades are much higher than those
who do not attend the SI sessions.
SI sessions are completely free to all students
and not only can SI sessions be offered in person,
but they can also be offered online as well.
We encourage students of all skill sets to attend
as SI isn't just about helping students
who are struggling in a course.
SI allows everyone to build
stronger foundational study habits.
- All right everyone, great work today.
My next SI session will be Thursday at 12:00 PM.
I hope to see you again.
- I'll be there and I'll bring a friend.
- When SI was founded at the University of Missouri,
Kansas City in 1973 by Dr. Deanna Martin,
the university was struggling to identify
what it meant to be a high risk student.
Traditional approaches were costly and simply not enough.
So we decided to target high risk courses instead.
These courses are ones where students
historically have difficulty passing
or completing the class due to the challenging nature
of the material.
This level of course completion is known as the DFW rate
or rate of D's, F's and withdrawals in a course.
We use this to identify courses ideal for the SI model.
On average, we see a 13% difference
between students who utilize SI and those who do not.
- The SI slogan is,
"Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember,
involve me and I understand."
As SI leaders, we are trained to implement
different learning strategies
to help break down the material for students.
And we learn different collaborative learning techniques
to promote student interactions.
The combination of both make for a successful SI session.
- As a SI leader,
I completed the course in a previous semester,
but I attend the lectures now
as a refresher on the material.
It also allows me to better connect with the students
and the faculty on a different level and model for them
the traits of a successful student.
And as a SI leader,
I not only learn how to reinforce the material,
but I also learn how to empathize with my peers.
- The reality is that 42% of students
who start college in the United States don't finish.
So the value of SI is that it increases retention
by instilling confidence in the students
and motivates them to want to learn.
Research shows that students who study in groups
learn two and a half times more
than students who study alone if the group stays on task.
In SI sessions, the SI leader is tasked
with making sure that this happens.
Over the course of 50 years,
SI has expanded across the globe,
serving students in over 3,500 institutions
in countries like Australia, Sweden,
South Africa, Canada, and more.
Schools that are interested in bringing SI to their campus
can attend one of our annual training workshops
here in Kansas City, Missouri.
We also have SI certified trainers
who can conduct SI training sessions
both in person and online.
- I'm so grateful for supplemental instruction
because not only have I built confidence in the classroom,
but friendships on campus.
(calm music)