Why Should Faculty Be Involved in Supplemental Instruction?

Abstract

Because instructor-led Supplemental Instruction (SI) offers additional benefits in student learning and engagement over the more traditional peer-led model, in this article the author argues that faculty should consider participating in SI sessions. Benefits to participating in instructor-led SI include: students spend more time on task in faculty-led sessions, earn higher grades on exams, meaningfully interact with their professor (even in a large enrollment class), appreciate working collaboratively with their peers, and report gains in their academic self-confidence. As such, while still a relatively understudied intervention strategy, faculty-led SI warrants greater study and attention.