Supplemental Instruction has become a core component for student success at both the undergraduate and graduate level at UMKC, as well as many other higher education institutions across the globe.

Created at UMKC in 1973, Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a non-remedial academic support program that targets high-risk courses rather than high-risk students. SI targets historically difficult courses by teaching students how to integrate course content with reasoning and study skills to increase their performance. The International Center for Supplemental Instruction is located at UMKC.

SI is an active approach to learning that supports students toward academic success by integrating “what to learn” with “how to learn.” SI consists of regularly scheduled, voluntary sessions outside of class, which are facilitated by trained peer leaders who utilize collaborative activities to ensure peer-to-peer interaction in small groups.

 

Spring 2024 Updates

The Supplemental Instruction program is located in Miller Nichols Library (MNL) 420.

Follow @UMKCSIandTutoring on Instagram to stay up to date with fun features, posts, and announcements!

If you are interested in joining our team as a Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader or Tutor, see the video below or read the position description for more information about each role!

Apply to be an SI Leader or Tutor

SI study sessions

SI study sessions are informal seminars in which students review notes, discuss readings, develop organizational tools and prepare for exams. Students who attend SI sessions regularly throughout the semester earn on average a half to a full letter grade higher than those who attend no sessions.

SI sessions give students these opportunities:

SI sessions start the first or second week of class. Each SI leader typically sets up two or more review sessions per week. SI sessions are free. Students are encouraged to as many as they'd like; however, statistics show that the more students attend, the better their grades.

Find SI sessions

SI leaders

SI leaders are students who have previously earned high grades in targeted courses and have been recommended by faculty. They attend class lectures, taking notes and listening closely to the professors, and are prepared to coach students on how to effectively study for SI courses. SI leaders receive training and ongoing supervision from the SI coordinating team to be effective facilitators.

At each session, the SI leader guides students through the course concepts. The SI leader helps students make good use of their time and shares their strategies for success in the course.

Participation guidelines for students attending SI sessions

SI Participation Guidelines (PDF)

The SI Edge

SI Edge was created to increase SI sessions attendance by addressing scheduling conflicts, one of the main reasons students report they do not attend SI sessions. SI Edge accomplishes this goal by populating one of the two SI session times into the course schedule on Pathway before the term begins. The SI programs works with the registrar’s office and academic units to try and identify a time that is conducive for students to ensure maximum participation. Students will see the SI session time populate on their course schedule when they enroll in the course, ensuring they reserve that time for SI early in their semester planning. SI Edge has been piloted in courses and found to be an effective way to increase SI session attendance.

Below is a sample schedule with the SI session populated.

 Screenshot of a Pathway schedule with an SI session added automatically.

If a student does need to enroll in a conflicting course, they complete the ADD/DROP form (PDF), which allows them to enroll in the other course despite the conflicting time. When the form is filled out for this reason, it will not need to be signed by course instructors or advisors.

Below is a sample schedule that shows what it looks like to have a conflicting course.

Screenshot of a Pathway schedule with a time conflict for the scheduled SI session.

Once the semester begins, SI leaders for SI Edge courses provide students with additional information on how SI Edge operates. If you have any questions or concerns about SI Edge, please email us at umkcsi@umkc.edu.