Understanding the Supplemental Instruction model

Abstract

It has been nearly two decades since Supplemental Instruction first in higher education. After starting at the University of Missouri-Kan in 1973, SI has been implemented at a variety of institutions across the States and around the world. Borrowing ideas from developmental psychology, SI has attempted to encourage students to become active investigators of strategies they have heard about from teachers and advisors. As new tional theories and practices have surfaced, the SI model has been ad incorporate the best in educational research. With the increasing diversity of today's college students and the alternative admission programs, the student body is continuing it's into a heterogeneous group reflective of American society. The pop professional literature often carries articles decrying the poor academic level of students or the poor quality of teaching by classroom pr Few solutions have been offered that work. From our point of view, that is moot. Many professors have tenure and colleges need all the stud they can recruit. Rather than blaming either party, strategies must b oped that allow students to succeed while ensuring that academic are maintained, if not strengthened. SI, as one component, can contr an overall institutional plan for student success.