Developing and Supporting SI Leaders in a Large SI Program

Trista O’Connell, M.A., Assistant Director, Supplemental Instruction

Ashley Thune-Aguayo, M.A., Lecturer, Mathematics

Helen Tran, Graduate Assistant

Holly Becker, Christine Deeb, and Christian Garia, Senior SI Leaders

May 26th, 2016

Session Agenda

• History of SI at CSU Fullerton

• Challenges of a large program

• Developing our leaders

– SI Internship

– SI leaders

– Senior SI leaders

• Support Systems

Supplemental Instruction at

California State University, Fullerton

• Peer facilitated sessions that integrate course content and learning skills (“what to learn”

with “how to learn”).

• Targets key bottleneck and gateway courses

with historically high non-pass rates.

• The SI leader attends the lectures, serves as

a model student, and facilitates the regularly scheduled sessions.

• SI leaders are trained (using the UMKC model) and supervised by a Faculty Liaison and the SI Supervisor (Assistant Director).

• Partnership between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs.

History of SI at CSU Fullerton

• In 2007, began as small pilot program in Biology and Math

• Program grew steadily each year, funded through grants

• In 2009, the ULC began parallel SI program, targeting classes in Humanities and Social Sciences

• 2013-2014 SI Program centralized and institutionalized

• 2014 Student Success Initiative; students recognize SI as HIP

• Spring 2016: 37 courses across 16 departments, & 5 colleges

SI Leaders 2015-2016

Challenges of Running a Rapidly Growing, Large SI Program:

• Basic Challenges: – Running the program

– Identifying and recruiting good SI leaders

– Training and monitoring SI leaders

– Finding good usable space

Challenges of Running a Rapidly Growing, Large SI Program:

• Go beyond the basic challenges—our goal is to: – Provide ongoing training, mentorship, and

support

– Aid in their development as SI leaders, students, and mentors

– Overall, maintain close ties with our SI leaders

Planning for Success

• Have a clear vision of the UMKC SI model

• Create Program Support Networks

• Collaboration between Academic Departments & Student Affairs

Training SI Leaders

• Pre-semester Training – Two day training

• Weekly Meetings – With Faculty Liaisons

or SI Supervisor

• Observations – Peer

– Supervisor

SI Program Tiers

• 130 SI Leaders – SI Interns

– SI Leaders

– Senior SI Leaders

– Graduate Assistant

SI Leaders • Attend pre-semester orientation and training

• Attend weekly meetings/trainings with department faculty liaison

• Attend all scheduled class lectures with students; acts as model student

• Preparation for SI sessions

• Facilitates regularly scheduled, SI sessions for duration of semester

• Perform additional administrative duties as necessary

SI Leaders: Benefits • Paid, professional opportunity to help other students

• Build strong relationships with SI leaders & students

• Develop report with faculty & administrators

• Further develop & deepen knowledge of course content

• Develop understanding of learning styles & strategies

• Develop leadership, public speaking, organizational, problem solving & critical thinking skills

• Priority registration

• Resume builder

• Being part of a great team!

SI Interns • Same minimum qualifications of SI

leaders

• Internship consists of 5 hours a week:

– Attend pre-semester orientation and training

– Attend weekly meetings/trainings with department faculty liaison

– Observes and assists the SI leader in facilitating SI sessions for the associated course

– Perform additional administrative duties as necessary

SI Interns: Benefits

• Build relationships with SI leaders and students enrolled in the course

• Build rapport with faculty and administrators

• Develop skills in being a facilitator of learning

• Great experience to discuss during interviews and put on resume

Senior SI Leaders

• Qualifications • Trainings & Meetings • Observations & Evaluations • Additional & Administrative Functions

– Assist with collection and dissemination of materials

– SI leader events/activities – Serve on Implementation Team

Senior SI Leaders: Benefits • Further develop and deepen:

– Knowledge of course content – Leadership skills – Public speaking skills – Organizational skills – Problem solving skills – Critical thinking skills

• Part of the cross campus dialogue with administrators and faculty

• Peer mentor at the same time they are be challenged to develop their own skill sets as leaders

SI Graduate Assistant • Former SI leader

• Assists with assessment of program; runs comparison reports

• Provides assistance in the pre-semester SIL Orientation & Trainings

• Attends and assists weekly SIL meetings

• Helps with marketing and promotion of the SI program

• Benefits: – Leadership and professional development

Program Support Networks • SI Supervisor (Assistant Director)

• Faculty Liaisons

• Implementation Team

• Collaboration between Academic Departments & Student Affairs

SI Supervisor

(Assistant Director) • Provide leadership in developing,

implementing and promoting an exemplary & comprehensive SI program

• Coordinates & promotes program

• Assesses program & makes recommendations for improvement

• Work closely with administrators and faculty liaisons in various colleges across campus to implement SI in targeted, high-risk & bottleneck courses.

• Brings together the divisions of Academic Affairs & Student Affairs to meet the needs of the greater campus community

Faculty Liaisons

• Why they’re important – Excited and passionate about SI!

– Weekly meetings with SI leaders in their department

– Provide subject/department specific skills, trainings, issues

– Assist SI Supervisor in collection of materials and dissemination of information to students, faculty, & chairs

– Part of the on-going dialogue between Academic Departments and Student Affairs

Implementation Team • Collaboration Between Academic Departments

and Student Affairs – Administrators

– Staff

– Faculty

– Senior SI leaders

Importance of Support Networks & SI Leader Tiers

• Able to meet and go beyond challenges of running a large SI program

• Provide multiple opportunities for growth – Provide ongoing training, mentorship, and

support

– Aid in their development as SI leaders, students, and mentors

– Overall, maintain close ties with our SI leaders

• Cross campus collaboration

Support and Recognize your SI leaders

Questions & Additional Information

Website: www.fullerton.edu/SI