UHD Faculty Feedback on Supplemental Instruction Program (SI)

13. Did you use any particular techniques or
incentives to encourage students to attend the SI sessions? If so, please
describe. Were these techniques or incentives helpful?

1. I periodically reminded the students of the SI’s
hours and once the SI participated in class (helping students), the students seemed to seek him out a bit more.

2. To help students see the SI as a knowledgeable and
helpful person, I would have her choose board problems and roam in class during
problem solving sessions.

3. No, I did not. I am torn between teaching my students to
be autonomous and resourceful and using some kind of incentive. I am going to
try doing something next semester short of giving points (for example). I did
try having all students who got less than an A go to him
or the writing lab-which did help. I am planning on trying strategies to do
this that will not entail grading. I strongly feel that those students must
learn to be autonomous and resourceful and that the motivation must be
intrinsic for their successful future at UHD.

4. I tried to mention SI in some capacity during most class
sessions and would include SI in most classroom activities and procedures so
that students would immediately identify her as an instructional leader and
resource. She supported student learning by routinely reminding students of her
scheduled tutorials, but would assure those who had conflicts that she would try
to accommodate their requests, offering guidance and support through phone and
email exchange. I encouraged students to seek SI leader’s assistance as
they prepared for scheduled tests and quizzes and before they submitted
assignments. As an incentive, I provided an opportunity for students to retake
any quiz only if they would meet with the leader for a 30-minute review prior
to the retest date. Many students chose to take advantage of the offer and
improved their scores significantly as a result of the study session. As a way
of encouraging students to prepare for a very challenging final exam, I stated
that my SI would provide them with clues to the bonus questions that would
accompany the exam (and could potentially earn them up to ten extra points) if
they attended a final exam review session with her. The strategy seemed to work
well as evidenced by the number of students who scored exceptionally well on
the final exam.

5. I simply encouraged students desiring extra help or those
having questions to come visit me or the SI, and that we would be happy to help
them.

6. At the end of the semester, students were required to
attend one conference with me and one conference with the SI. The conference
with the SI was set up so that students worked on peer-editing each
other’s papers, which differed from the more conceptual conferences they
attended with me. This meant that every student in the class had at least one
meeting with the SI.

7. The incentives were not helpful. In the past, I’ve
offered incentives to attend SI sessions, like extra credit or extensions on
paper deadlines. Students just do not make use of the SI outside of class time.

8. Students could receive extra points for spending time
outside of class with the SI. I feel the points helped get some students to see
her who might not have otherwise.

9. I have found that my students who take advantage of the
help available to them by the SI leader generally earn a letter grade higher
than those who don’t, and I pass this on to my students.

10. Extra credit points on the homework, etc. grade has proven
to be quite effective with this class.

11. Upon her suggestion, she checks the students’
tests corrections before they are passed in to me. She sets up special study
times before the tests and gets several students to attend even on weekends!

12. Attendance points for those using the service. It did
not reach the masses as I had hoped.

13. The SI Leader was very flexible in her hours. She also
was very interested and active in helping the students with their assignments.

14. Some part of the homework had to be worked with the SI
Leader.

15. Students had a mandatory meeting with the SI about
halfway through the term. Thought that this would make students seek the SI out
on their own initiative, but that didn’t happen so much.

16. I would regularly have the SI let students know of his
availability outside of class and offered a small number of bonus points on homework
at the beginning of the semester to encourage them to visit him.

17. Students receive bonus points for attendance.

18. No, I did not. I probably should have. But, she was so
effective in the classroom that even students who did not attend the sessions
benefited enormously form her role in the course. Next spring I will try to
engage ore students in her sessions.

19. No, I did not. I probably should have. Next spring I
will try to engage more students in SI sessions.

20. Students were given extra credit at one point to see
her. I also had her help in class during quizzes. These were only partially
helpful because of schedule conflicts.

21. I would include the SI Leader in most classroom
activities and procedures so that students would immediately identify her as an
instructional leader and resource. The SI Leader supported student learning by
routinely reminding students of her scheduled tutorials, but would assure those
who had conflicts that she would try to accommodate their requests, offering
guidance and support through e-mail exchange.

22. Students enjoyed the personal attention given to them in
class. They then could continue the experience out of class.

23. Maybe yes. At the middle of the semester, I did
personally encourage students with a D-standing or lower to attend the SI
sessions. The SI leader also went over the three tests during the SI session:
this was her suggestion. She also suggested that no answer key be provided to
the students, as this might encourage students to go to the SI sessions. I have
no feedback on whether this helped to increase SI session attendance.

24. Extra points on tests. Not helpful.

25. I did not offer any incentives this semester. I simply
periodically reminded the students of the SI’s
scheduled hours.

26. I had an extended class (+30 mins)
that helped a lot to let the students get to know the SI and the help he could
offer.

27. Giving extra credit for those who attend the SI session.
Having the SI leader discuss tests in the SI session (instead
of discussing them in class). Overall, these incentives were helpful.

28. Yes, extra points for completing and having SI leader check
test corrections were very helpful. Students were motivated by the points and
willing to work with him learning his availability and ability to help them.

29. I did not. Since all of the students in this section are
high school students, it was hard to setup a time for SI sessions. We set up
the time right after class to accommodate them. But some were too tired to stay
and some have a job to go to. The only times they stayed is when they have not
finished their assignments. I believe if I give incentives for attending SI
sessions, the attendance should be better. I will try it next time.

30. I had a student that attended an SI session discuss the
results after the 1st test!

31. This semester I offered no incentives, just periodic
reminders of SI sessions.

32. If you give a daily or weekly calendar for the semester
for your class, include the SI session times in the calendar, to reinforce the
impression that SI is and integral part of the course.