SI is not intended to create additional work for faculty. The faculty member is asked to recommend as potential SL leaders several students who have recently been successful in the course. Upon selection of one of these students the faculty member is asked to support SI by maintaining a working relationship with the student leader throughout the semester.
You can support SI by granting time for occasional in-class announcements and be supportive of the program by encouraging students to take advantage of SI. Faculty should avoid the suggestion that only those who do poorly will benefit.
It is also required that faculty meet with their SI leader for 30 minutes a week, to discuss course content, upcoming exams, the progress of the SI sessions and participants, and any other additional questions or concerns that may come up.
The SI leader will:
- Attend all class meetings
- Maintain a professional attitude about matters such as class standards, grades, and student complaints.
- Discourage students from attending SI as a substitute for class meetings.
- Share SI materials with the cooperating faculty member before use, if possible.
- Provide feedback to the cooperating faculty member if requested to do so.
The SI leader will not:
- Grade assignments, homework, exams, etc.
- Lecture or fill in as a substitute teacher for the instructor
No. SI is not remedial for following reasons:
- SI targets high-risk courses rather than high-risk students.
- All students enrolled in SI-supported courses are invited and encouraged to attend—not just those who are struggling.
- SI starts with the first day of classes and continues through the last week of instruction, but does not include finals week.
- Studies show that students of all academic and learning abilities and levels benefit from participating in SI sessions and earn on average a half to full grade higher than those who do not participate.
The SI Program will:
- Place SI leaders only in courses with the approval of the cooperating faculty member.
- Train all SI leaders according to established guidelines and standards set forth by the University of Missouri, Kansas City.
- Monitor the activities and presentations of SI leaders for as long as necessary by attending class with them, helping plan sessions and supervising their performance.
- Provide supplies, training, in-service experiences and consultations for SI leaders.
Here are some things that faculty members have do to help encourage students to attend SI sessions:
- Include information on SI in their course syllabi
- Post announcements on canvas about SI sessions
- Announce SI results and encourage students to attend sessions
If you are interested in learning more about the SI Program at MiraCosta College, and about incorporating SI into your department, course, or program, please contact:
Andrew Alvo
Operations Supervisor, Academic Support & Innovations (ASI)
760.757.2121 x6344
aalvo@miracosta.edu
