What is Supplemental Instruction (SI)?
Supplemental Instruction or SI is a voluntary academic assistance program that utilizes peer-led group study sessions to help students succeed in traditionally difficult courses. All students enrolled in a targeted class are encouraged to attend SI sessions. The goal of SI is to help students understand not only what to learn but how to learn, helping them to develop effective and transferable study skills..
SI group study sessions are facilitated by SI Leaders, peer students who have previously completed and demonstrated competency in the targeted course. During SI sessions, the Leader facilitates study strategies and collaborative study techniques specific to the course.
Each week, SI Leaders offer regularly scheduled SI sessions on campus. Leaders promote their sessions as “guaranteed study time.” By attending sessions, students have an opportunity to meet with classmates outside of class and engage in the course material. During sessions, students compare and clarify lecture notes, review textbook readings, and discuss key course concepts. SI also provides an opportunity for students to develop study skills specific to the course.
View more information about Supplemental Instruction as a program.
When are SI Sessions held?
Supplemental Instruction is offered for courses during the fall and spring semesters. SI starts the second week of classes and continues until the end of the semester. Use the link below to find your SI session time and location!
Session days and times for SI Leaders this semester.
*Note- Students should only go to SI sessions for classes in which they have SI support.
What do SI Leaders do?
Role of the SI Leader
The SI Leader serves as a peer facilitator for Supplemental Instruction sessions. The Leader attends all classes, ensuring consistent knowledge of the lecture and classroom expectations, and models effective classroom behavior. During SI sessions, the SI Leader combines specific study skills with key course content, connecting what to learn with how to learn. SI Leaders will:
- Attend all lectures. Act as a model student—listening and taking notes.
- Work with students during class individually or in groups with permission from the faculty member.
- Read assigned texts and supplementary materials.
- Organize and facilitate two regularly scheduled study sessions per week.
- Promote SI to students to encourage participation.
- Communicate with faculty to discuss SI session strategies and activities.
- Communicate with the Learning Center staff and attend SI training.
What do student think about SI at Georgia College?
The Benefits of SI at Georgia College
"Learn[ed] how to understand things by breaking it into smaller sections"
"Being able to get a different perspective on various and getting to know other people in the class that wanted to do well too."
"[My Leader] was a good person and easy to talk to but I also learned a lot from her about course content and it made more sense when talking it out."
"The most beneficial aspect I gained from attending SI sessions was how to make learning difficult subjects interesting and connecting the topics together to form a big picture."
How can faculty partner with SI?
Role of FACULTY
Faculty at GCSU can support Supplemental Instruction by:
- Recommending capable students to serve as SI Leaders each semester.
- Encouraging all students to attend SI sessions and including SI support in your syllabus.
- Allowing the SI Leader to make brief SI announcements throughout the semester to encourage student participation and highlight session activities. On the first day of class, the SI Leader will introduce SI (what it is and how it works) and describe the availability of SI sessions.
- Meeting weekly with the SI Leader to discuss course expectations, course content, student performance, and SI participation.
