SI for Faculty
Supplemental instruction at EMU typically offers support for gateway undergraduate courses. These are usually general education (e.g., BIO 110, ECON 201) and/or program gateway courses (e.g., ACC 240, CHEM 121, BIO 251/252, etc.) with high enrollment and moderate-to-high drop or fail rates.
SI also supports a small number of courses within majors that include difficult and highly-concentrated content that students often request help with (i.e. CHEM 371, BIO 301).
Thinking about SI for your course or department?
Is your class the right fit?
While high enrollment courses with high DFWI rates are often the first focus of SI, many other courses can benefit from incorporating the model. These courses are typically intro or program gateway courses, as well as any courses that benefit from additional time spent in workshopping the content. Whether the course is primarily lecture-and-exam-based or focused on project work, SI can improve your student outcomes.
Does your class qualify? If you're not sure, feel free to contact us to talk about the best academic support options for your students.
Recommend a Student
If you're thinking about SI for next semester, email the program coordinator as soon as you can. Recruitment and hiring begins in October for Winter and in February for Fall. Space is limited so the sooner the better!
Although we're experts in academic support and learning strategies, YOU are an expert in the needs for your class. Pick a successful student who's taken your class previously. Talk to them and see if they'd be interested in being an SI. If yes, let us know to send them an SI Application.
Wait for Updates
The SI Program Coordinator will keep you updated on the status of the application, scheduled interviews, and hiring decisions. Collaborate & Promote SI!
Assuming all goes well, your applicant will be hired. What now? Start planning as soon as possible. Consider: How will you involve your SI in lecture? When will you meet weekly? How can you encourage student attendance at SI sessions?
SI works best when SILs have both the autonomy to develop and create learning experiences for students and the encouragement and support of their assigned professors.
Assess
Assessment and evaluation helps us improve the program for its faculty, students, and SI Leaders. Your feedback is crucial! We'll send an end-of-semester survey as part of our program assessment, but we welcome your feedback at any time.
Download this information in an infographic [PDF].
FAQ
Does my department have to pay the SI?
No; SI Leaders are employed by the Holman Success Center. We take care of the details of employment, including accepting and reviewing applications, determining eligibility for employment, interviewing, hiring, training, and payroll. Professors and students reap the benefits! What if I want an SIL but don't know of any students to recommend?
Let the program coordinator know by emailing [email protected]. We probably already have experienced SILs who would be a great fit for you and your course.
If we don't already know of someone, we have a 50+ student employee network; many of those students will likely have students of their own they can recommend.Will an SIL just be assigned to me?
Never; we rely on professors for student recommendations, which means we'll hire the student you recommend to be your SI whenever possible.
We often have SILs who want to return the following semester, but their professor isn't teaching the same course. When that happens, we try to connect experienced and knowledgeable SILs with the professors assigned to teach supported courses and encourage our SILs to introduce themselves to you.
How soon should I start thinking about SI for next semester?
The best time to plant a tree is yesterday; the second-best time is now! The same wisdom holds true for SI: the earlier we're aware of your needs and recommendations, the better our chance of securing your SIL to work with you and your course.
It's never too soon to start planning, as it's much easier for us to find a different placement for a SIL than it is to find a last-minute student employee.
I already teach with a flipped-classroom model. Is SI really necessary for my course?
SI offers your students additional opportunities to engage with the material while collaborating with their peers -- that's never a bad thing. Plus, students will often engage with a peer leader when they wouldn't with the professor. Finally, attendance at SI sessions is voluntary.
SI can be a valuable tool in your teaching toolbox, providing for even more deep learning experiences.