2010 online class student support resources

Supplemental Instructionin an Online Environment

Christi Boggs, Ed.D.Outreach Credit Programs

University of Wyoming

1Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Supplemental Instruction History

• University of Missouri, Kansas City in 1983

• Now used by over 800 colleges and universities world-wide

• Sstudents who attend supplemental instruction sessions earn statistically significantly higher final course grades

Congos and Schoeps, 1993, Congos, Langsam, and Schoeps, 1997


Supplemental Instruction Features

• Sessions occur outside of class

• Sessions are facilitated by an undergraduate or graduate student leader who attends the course regularly and engages in the readings and discussions

• Instructor does not attend SI sessions but works with leader to plan sessions

• SI is highly student-centered and interactive


Supplemental Instruction at UW

• Housed within LeaRN

• Peer leader training

• Coordination with instructors

• Assessment

• Targeted at high difficulty first and second-year courses


LeaRNʼs Mission

• Effective transition between high school and college courses and lifestyle

• Better awareness of transition issues for students among faculty and University community

• Improved academic support and intellectual community development for incoming students


BAS Program

• AAS degree

• Work experience

• Extremely Non-Traditional Students!

• Out of school for an extended amount of time

• Never thought they’d get a 4-year degree


Goals of Supplemental Instruction in BAS Program

• Create a student-led on-line community of learners for course-based support

• Help students with

• Transition (back) to college

• Academic writing

• Research process


SI for Outreach

• Intellectual connections and community

• Challenges can be effectively addressed through SI

• Peer leaders gain important experience and learning opportunities

• Instructors can better engage with and understand students

• 3rd & 4th year classes


Implementing SI in AGRI 3000

• SI Curriculum Development• Peer leader selection and training• 2 peer leaders

• 3 training sessions with a team of people• Practice with software and course shell• Peer leaders coordinate their own planning

schedule• Develop materials for SI


How it’s done...• Separate SI Course Shell

• SI ‘Unit’ embedded within the course

• SI Units matching curriculum

• Supplemental Materials

• Live session using Class Live Pro (Elluminate Web Conferencting)


Assessment

• Focus groups

• Student surveys

• Course performance

• SI leader interviews


What was most helpful about Supplemental Instruction?

“Just being able to get instant feedback.”

“That you can ask questions”

“Suggestions from the SI leader. Thank you.”

“Great addition to class!”

“seeing other peoples work gives me a better understanding of what mine needs to be.”


“Emily is terrific. She guided me in choice of title...also discussed levels of sources in a way I could totally understand. This is well worth taking time out of Sunday.”


In what areas can we improve online Supplemental Instruction?

“make it longer. if we have more than one person in group it could get really difficult to get all help needed.”

“make it easier to get to it”


Other courses

• Family and Consumer Sciences

• Biochemistry

• Others...


Thank You!

Christi BoggsOutreach School

University of [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

2010 online class student support resources

Education