SI Increases Student Success

Samuel Huff, staff writer

It is no secret that students transitioning from high school to college life have their fair share of challenges that they are destined to meet, but what if one of your first classes of your first semester was one of PVCC’s most difficult courses? For students with a desire to enter the medical field, that challenge may become a reality. 

The Foundations of life class (NAS2) is somewhat of a crash course in basic biology and chemistry that, because of its broad range of topics, is considered one of PVCC’s most difficult courses.

Luckily, PVCC has found a solution to combat the low success and high drop rate of the class: Supplemental Instruction (SI).

Supplemental Instruction is held separately from the class itself and is designed to prioritize group study.

Led by students who have previously taken the course and excelled in it, SI provides students with an environment where they are free to work with their peers, address issues with their understanding of material, and even develop study strategies that help them better understand concepts in class.

SI leaders are trained to facilitate the session and the activities involved may vary depending on class attendance. Attendance is not mandatory, although students who do attend sessions have a higher probability of being successful in the course. 

Because the sessions are usually a smaller group than the class itself, students have an opportunity to be more engaged and take a hands-on approach to their learning experience. SI leaders engage students in the material and encourage them to develop their skills in asking effective questions. 

For many students, SI is the difference between passing and failing.

In a class that requires so much study-time and so much active participation, SI is a great way to ensure that students are making the most of their time and ensuring that they are providing themselves with the best chance at being successful.

NAS2 is not the only class that offers SI, for the full list of classes that do as well as the times and locations of the sessions, students can check out the options at www.pvcc.edu/supplemental-instruction.

The author of this article is currently a supplemental instructor for NAS2.