How does SI work? 

SI Leaders offer two to three 50-minute group study sessions a week, and one office hour. Sessions, which are informal, voluntary, and free, offer students an opportunity to discuss important concepts, develop study and test taking strategies, and focus on how to learn with what to learn. Leader office hours provide one-on-one practice.

How is SI different from tutoring or PLTL?

• SI is collaborative group learning in every session; tutoring is a one-on-one dynamic, and PLTL (Peer Led Team Learning) workshop learning strategies vary according to each faculty member and PLTL Leader. 
• SI Leaders attend class with the students, while tutors and PLTL Leaders do not. 
• SI sessions are student-driven, and SI Leaders have creative freedom to make their own materials; PLTL sessions are structured and faculty-driven with faculty-made materials.
• SI is voluntary and anonymous; PLTL is required and faculty are aware who attends.

Who can be an SI leader?

SI leaders are knowledgeable, qualified students who have taken the targeted SI course on campus and received a good grade. They should have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, be organized and good managers of their time, have good communication skills, and possess leadership ability. 

Leaders must be able to attend all SI course lectures, hold two to three 50-minute sessions a week, hold an office hour, attend leader training and bi-weekly SI leader meetings, complete and submit paperwork on time, and communicate regularly with the course professor, the students, and the SI staff. 

Being an SI leader is a rewarding experience. The leader becomes an "expert" in the course content, which can help with upper level courses. This position can be counted as a Co-op or Internship with transcript recognition and included on a resume. Leaders gain and improve leadership and communication skills.

If you are interested in becoming an SI Leader, please complete the SI Leader Application.

Who can attend SI?

Supplemental Instruction is for all students in the targeted course. Students who attend receive extra study practice, can compare notes with other students, learn different study strategies, and hone their skills.  Everyone can benefit from attending SI. In fact, students who attend SI regularly earn an average of a half to a whole letter grade higher than students who don't.

Which courses participate in SI?

At SIUE, SI covers courses in:

• Biology (BIOL 140, BIOL 151, BIOL 240A/B, BIOL 250, BIOL 319)
• Chemistry (CHEM 113, CHEM 120A, CHEM 121A/B, CHEM 241A/B)
• Economics (ECON 111, ECON 112)
• Engineering (ECE 210, ME 262)
• Finance (FIN 320)
• Management Science (MS 250, MS 251)
• Mathematics (MATH 152)
• Nursing (NURS 240)
• Physics (PHYS 131, PHYS 132, PHYS 141, PHYS 142, PHYS 151, PHYS 152)

What can faculty do to help?

Faculty can:

• Post SI session information on the course Blackboard
• Add SI leaders to Blackboard so leaders can access course materials, email announcements and session materials, and generally market their sessions
• Encourage students to attend SI by making in-class announcements
• Meet periodically with SI leaders to discuss course expectations and student needs
• Inform leaders what materials and resources they can and cannot use in sessions