Supplemental Instruction

• Regular SI attendance can result in earning up to one-half letter grade higher in the course
• Less likely to earn a D or F in the course with regular attendance
• Develop stronger understanding of course content and effective study skills
• Learning and study skills from SI can be used in other courses
• Develop stronger campus connection through community building with classmates, students, and staff

If your class has SI, our leaders will introduce themselves during the first week of class and send you email reminders. Students can also visit the Center for Academic Achievement in Library West 103 or check your course Canvas page. 

A trained student leader will guide the activity-based discussion and help students to discover answers and understand difficult course concepts during each session. This collaborative environment encourages students to think critically and can serve as a review session before tests and quizzes. As a student, you will be able to find your SI leader’s schedule on the SI Canvas page and choose at least one session to attend per week. It is best to bring your questions about the class material to SI.

The SI Leader:

• Has completed the course and earned a “B” or higher
• Attends class meetings (maybe lectures but not all courses are lecture style)
• Is trained in the most effective college-level learning and study strategies
• Shows you how to learn the course content in SI courses
• Provides guidance and structure to the review session
• Models effective note-taking techniques and self-testing strategies
• Models needed thinking and problem-solving techniques
• Empowers students to become independent and confident learners

• Students who attend SI sessions will:

  • Review class concepts and develop study skills in a collaborative environment
  • Gain a deeper understanding of your course content
  • Have SI Leaders as positive student role models
  • Learn various transferable skills they can apply to other courses
  • Become part of a learning community within your class, increasing the presence of prepared students in class lectures

SI Leaders will attend every class lecture and model positive student behavior. They will also work with faculty to determine key topics of focus for their review sessions. 

The SI program is designed to support faculty as much as it assists students. At FGCU, most faculty commit no more than thirty minutes per week to meet one-on-one with SI Leaders. These meetings are typically for faculty to give content direction to their SI Leaders. Some faculty also use this time to develop collaborative strategies to use during class lectures. Additionally, faculty can also combine meetings with Instructional, Teaching, or Learning Assistants. 

The SI program targets historically challenging courses; these are courses with high D, F, and W rates. However, we consider other course needs on a case by case basis. The following courses have been or currently are offered:

• Anatomy & Physiology 1 (BSC 1085C)
• Anatomy & Physiology 2 (BSC 1086C)
• General Biology 1 (BSC 1010C)
• General Biology 2 (BSC 1011)
• General Chemistry 1 (CHM 1045)
• College Algebra (MAC 1105)
• Intermediate Algebra (MAT 1033)
• Statistical Methods (STA 2023)
• Microeconomics (ECO 2023)
• Business Finance (FIN 3403)

If you are interested in SI for your class or department, please contact Dr. Suzy Ponicsan, Assitant Director, Instructional Support Services, by completing this request form.  

Faculty are our primary partners in promoting academic support and developing an SI-attending culture. Successful practices that FGCU faculty engage in include:

• Allow SI Leaders to make a brief introduction at the beginning of the semester and weekly announcements about SI Sessions throughout the semester
• Meet with SI Leaders on a weekly basis throughout the semester to best align SI session content with course lectures
• Encourage ALL students to attend SI sessions. We are available for everyone, not just students who are struggling with or not understanding course content
• Allow SI Leaders to have Canvas access. This allows students to see that SI sessions are a part of the class and the content is related to class lectures