Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program
The Supplemental Instruction (SI) program targets historically challenging academic courses that have been roadblocks to the success of students pursuing a degree in STEM. Specifically, the SI Program at the Palomar Community College supports the learning development of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students to ensure their academic success in order to become engaged contributors in their communities.
Role of the SI Leaders
SI Leaders are model students who have demonstrated mastery of the course subject and have exceptional critical thinking and organizational skills. SI Leaders are students who have previously done well in the course with the same instructor whom they are now working together with as a team. Collaboratively, the SI Leaders and the Instructor develop strategies to help the student become actively engaged in their own learning and strengthen their academic performance. SI Leaders attend all class lectures, take notes, read all assigned material, and act as model students. SI Leaders provide the following:
- Regularly scheduled, out-of-class, peer-facilitated sessions.
- Facilitate group work and promote collaborative learning and critical thinking
- Demonstrate appropriate application of study strategies to support student success
- Real life examples of successful study and learning habits
- Informal review sessions in which students compare notes, discuss readings and develop organizational tools
- An environment that encourages the social and communicative skills of students