Peer instruction at USU helps students improve grades

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION STUDENT: Emily Jensen studies in the Merrill-Cazier library. / Photo by Sarah Miller

By Sarah Miller
November 25, 2008

Each year more than 7,000 students
participate in Supplemental
Instruction (SI) at Utah State University.

The SI program is provided by USU in order to help
students improve their grades. SI offers review and
study sessions two to three times a week for difficult
General Education classes on campus.

Emilee Jensen, a sophomore majoring in nutrition,
said "I see a big difference in my test scores when
I go to SI." Jensen added that she attends SI sessions,
on average, two to three times a week. The SI sessions
are taught by USU students who have previously taken
and excelled in the specific course they are teaching.
The SI Leaders receive special training in learning
strategies and study techniques in order to better help
students.

Milo Maughan, who has been an SI Leader for the USU
1360 class for the past two semesters, said "I enjoy
being able to teach and help people learn, not only
about the subject but how do to better in school. It's
rewarding being able to just help people out."

According to USU's SI Web site, on average, students
who attend SI earn a grade .4 percent higher than those
who do not.

"I think it benefits the students," Maughan said.
"Not only do they get to review over the material but
they get to learn valuable study skills that they will
be able to use the rest of their school career such
as concept cards, effective note taking, studying for
tests, etc."

Being an SI Leader can be a great opportunity for
USU students.

Melissa Hulse, a USU SI Coordinator and previous SI
Leader, said "I am a dietetics major and being an SI
for NFS 1020 really helped me understand the basics
of what I was studying. Even though I was teaching new
students, I still learned a lot myself."

Both Maughan and Hulse said they enjoy being involved
with the SI program.

For more information on becoming an SI Leader or Coordinator
and the qualifications required visit their Web
site.

The SI program was developed by the University of Missouri-Kansas
City in 1973. It is now and international program. According
to the UMKC
Web site faculty and staff from 29 countries and
over 1,500 institutions have been trained to apply their
own SI programs.

Source: Hard News Cafe