Skip to Main Content

Supplemental Instruction

Program Information

In courses where SI is offered, supplemental instruction leaders will lead your class through a review session of that week's material. Supplemental instruction sessions are not a substitute for class lectures and will not introduce any new material, and are not large question-and-answer sessions. Major components of SI sessions include the following:

  • Collaborative learning techniques.
  • A model of appropriate thinking, note taking and test preparation.
  • Focus on what to learn and how to learn it.

SI sessions are held two or three times each week. SI Leaders document attendance information at each session in order to evaluate the program at the end of the semester. Professors are not provided the specific names of students attending the sessions.

Benefits of supplemental instruction include:

  • Nationally, it has been shown that average grades of students who attend SI are higher than grades of those who do not.
  • A comprehensive statistical analysis of Miami's SI program found a strong correlation between students attending SI sessions and earning a grade of A or B in the course.
  • SI leads to higher re-enrollment and graduation rates.

For more information about supplemental instruction, if you would like to have SI offered in your course or have questions regarding SI, please contact us at 513-529-8741 or via email at carrk@MiamiOH.edu.

Courses for Supplemental Instruction

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is typically offered in the following courses:

  • Science Courses
    • BIO 115/116, 161, 201, 203
    • CHM 141, 142, 241, 242
    • PHY 181/182
  • Math Courses
    • MTH 125, 141, 151, 246, 251
  • Business Courses
    • ECO 201
    • BUS 104
    • FIN 301
    • ISA 125, 225
  • Nursing Courses
    • BIO 171/172, 325
    • CHM 131
    • NSG 261/262, 349

We are continuously evaluating the effectiveness of Supplemental Instruction, and this list may be subject to change depending on the semester.

Fall 2024 SI Courses

Science Courses

BIO 116

  • Section A
    • Mondays: 5-6 p.m. in KRG 224
    • Thursdays: 6-7 p.m. in KRG 224
  • Sections B and D
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6-7 p.m. in HUG 141
  • Sections C and E
    • Mondays: 5-6 p.m. in PSN 116
    • Wednesdays: 5-6 p.m. in HUG 158

BIO 116H

  • Mondays and Wednesdays: 5-6 p.m. in SHD 009

BIO 161

  • Mondays and Wednesdays: 5-6 p.m. in SHD 273

BIO 201

  • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6-7 p.m. in SHD 001

BIO 203 and 203 W

  • Mondays and Wednesdays: 5-6 p.m. in LWS 046

CHM 141

  • Sections A and D
    • Tuesdays: 7-8 p.m. in UPH 001
    • Thursdays: 5:30-6:30 p.m. in PSN 128
    • Sundays: 3-4 p.m. in BEN 102
  • Section B
    • Mondays and Wednesdays: 5-6 p.m. in HRN 313
  • Section C
    • Mondays and Wednesdays: 5-6 p.m. in HUG 161

CHM 141H 

  • Mondays: 6:30-7:30 p.m. in HUG 158
  • Wednesdays: 6-7 p.m. in LWS 116

CHM 142

  • Section A
    • Tuesdays: 7-8 p.m. in HRN 002
    • Sundays: 2-3 p.m. in HRN 002

CHM 241

  • Section A 
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5:30-6:30 p.m. in FSB 1000
    • Sundays: 1-2 p.m. in FSB 1000
  • Section B
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6:30-7:30 p.m. in HUG 161
    • Sundays: 3-4 p.m. in HUG 161

MBI 201

  • Mondays and Thursdays: 6-7 p.m. in HRN 302

PHY 131

  • Mondays and Wednesdays: 6-7 p.m. in MCG 214

PHY 161

  • Sections A, B, and C
    • Tuesdays: 6-7 p.m. KRG 311
    • Sundays: 2-3 p.m. KRG 311

PHY 181

  • Section C
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 4:30-5:30 p.m. in KRG West Scale Up Room

PHY 182

  • Section B
    • Tuesdays: 4:30-5:30 p.m. in KRG 222
    • Thursdays: 5:30-6:30 p.m. in HUG 006
    • Sundays: 2-3 p.m. in KRG 227

PHY 192

  • Section A
    • Tuesdays: 4:30-5:30 p.m. in KRG 227
    • Thursdays: 4-5 p.m. in KRG 207
    • Sundays: 4-5 p.m. in KRG 207
  • Section B
    • Tuesdays: 4:30-5:30 in KRG 227
    • Thursdays: 4-5 p.m. in KRG 207
    • Sundays: 4-5 p.m. in KRG 207

Math Courses

MTH 125

  • All Sections
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6:15-7:15 p.m. in MCG 226

MTH 135

  • Sections A and B
    • Mondays: 5:30-6:30 p.m. in DSB 166
    • Wednesdays: 6:30-7:30 p.m. in DSB 166

MTH 141

  • Sections A and B
    • Mondays: 6-7 p.m. in DSB 302
    • Wednesdays: 4:30-5:30 p.m. in DSB 302
  • Section C
    • Mondays and Wednesdays: 6-7 p.m. in BEN 100

MTH 151

  • Section A
    • Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 4:30-5:30 p.m. in CHS 0206
  • Section B
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5-6 p.m. in UPH 235
  • Sections D and I
    • Tuesdays: 6-7 p.m. in BEN 114
    • Thursdays: 7:30-8:30 p.m. in BEN 207
  • Sections E, F, and H
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5:30-6:30 p.m. in HUG 158
  • Section G
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6-7 p.m. in UPH 364
  • Section K
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 7-8 p.m. in IRV 026

MTH 246

  • Section A
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5-6 p.m. in BEN 115
  • Section B
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5-6 p.m. in BEN 204
  • Section BX
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6:30-7:30 p.m. in BEN 207

MTH 249

  • Section A
    • Mondays and Thursdays: 5:30-6:30 p.m. in KRG 227

MTH 251

  • Sections B and C
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6-7 p.m. in HRN 313
  • Section D
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6-7 p.m. in HRN 210

MTH 252

  • Section C
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5-6 p.m. in KRG 224

Business Courses

BUS 104

  • All Sections
    • Tuesdays: 7-8 p.m. in FSB 2049
    • Thursdays: 4-5 p.m. in FSB 0003

ECO 201

  • Sections A, B, and C - Elliot Sections
    • Tuesdays: 5-7 p.m. in IRV 238
  • Sections E and F - Nencka Sections
    • Mondays and Wednesdays: 5-6 p.m. in FSB 0014
  • Sections G, H, and I - Nietfield Sections
    • Tuesdays: 5-6 p.m. in PSN 116
    • Thursdays: 5-6 p.m. in FSB 0003
  • Sections J and K - Reising Sections
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5-6 p.m. in IRV 040
  • Sections L, M, N, and O - Simpkins Sections
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5-6 p.m. in FSB 0021

ECO 202

  • Sections A, B, and C 
    • Sundays and Mondays: 7-8 p.m. in SHD 053

FIN 301

  • Sections A, B, and C - Webster Sections
    • Mondays: 7:30-8:30 p.m. in MCG 322
    • Thursdays: 7-8 p.m. in HRN 204
  • Section D and E - Shank Sections
    • Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 6-7 p.m. in FSB 0027

ISA 125

  • All Sections
    • Tuesdays: 6:30-7:30 p.m. in HUG 158
    • Wednesdays: 6:30-7:30 p.m. in KRG 221

ISA 225

  • Sections A, B, and C 
    • Mondays and Wednesdays: 6-7 p.m. in UPH 255
  • Sections D, E, F, and G 
    • Mondays and Thursdays: 5-6 p.m. in DSB 302

Nursing Courses

BIO 171

  • Sections A-H
    • Mondays: 6-7 p.m. in LWS 100
    • Wednesdays: 6:30-7:30 p.m. in LWS 100

BIO 325

  • Section A
    • Mondays: 6:30-7:30 p.m. in CHS 0201/0206
    • Wednesdays: 7-8 p.m. in HUG 141

NSG 262

  • Sections A, B, and C
    • Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 5:30-6:30 p.m. in CHS 0210

Information for Faculty

Faculty members and Instructors choose Supplemental Instruction (SI) because the proactive program is designed to help students refine necessary cognitive and applied study skills to earn better grades. SI targets “high attrition” courses not “high risk” students.

Faculty members and Instructors who participate in the SI program enjoy students who are better informed about classroom topics and who earn higher grades. Participating SI faculty and instructors work closely with the SI Leaders and the SI Coordinator to ensure the effectiveness of SI sessions. SI faculty and instructors meet regularly with the SI Leaders to review course content and develop session strategies.

Faculty members can expect support from the SI Coordinator in the Rinella Learning Center office.

If you would like to have SI offered in your course or have questions regarding SI, please contact Kevin Carr at 513-529-8741 or carrk@MiamiOH.edu

The SI Coordinator will administer the following tasks:

  • Interview and hire SI leader candidates based on the recommendation and approval from faculty.
  • Reserve classrooms for SI sessions and exam review sessions.
  • Monitor SI sessions and supervise SI Leaders
  • Compile statistical data and produce SI Summary Reports at the end of the semester
  • Administer overall evaluation of SI through SI Evaluation, SI Faculty Evaluation and SI Leader Self-Evaluation.
  • Provide feedback through end-of-the-semester reports to faculty and SI leaders about the effectiveness of the program.
  • Serve as a liaison between faculty and SI leaders.
  • Communicate with SI leaders periodically through email announcements.

SI Faculty will be expected to:

  • Occasionally, provide time at the beginning of class for the SI leader to give announcements about the SI program and SI sessions
  • Help coach SI leaders in the course content that is most critical for students to understand.
  • Communicate weekly with SI leaders to help guide the structure of the SI sessions.
  • Promote the SI program by encouraging students to attend SI sessions.
  • List SI leader's name and email on course website, course CANVAS page, and/or course syllabus.
  • Pass along any materials to SI leaders that would aid him/her in conducting his/her individual review sessions when possible.
  • If requested, provide a list of students' grades to Kevin Carr, Coordinator of the Supplemental Instruction program, in order to review basic SI versus non-SI performance statistics.
  • Complete the SI Faculty Evaluation at the end of each term.
  • Allow SI leaders to administer the SI Student Evaluation at the end of the semester.

Identification of potential SI Leaders:

Faculty and instructors are an important component for the identification, selection, and hiring process of new SI leaders every semester. Courses have the greatest chance of offering SI support when a student is identified as a potential candidate in the preceding semester. Faculty recommendations are our most important and valuable source of applicants and we prefer candidates who are recommended by faculty.

If faculty/instructor requests a SI leader for the course and a potential candidate has not been identified, the SI Coordinator will select prospective candidates from the course roster from the most recent course taught by the faculty/instructor.

The potential SI leaders should meet the following requirements:

  • SI leaders must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in the courses they hold SI sessions for and maintain a 2.76 cumulative GPA.
  • Interest in the following areas:
    • Helping students
    • Reviewing course information
    • Developing communication and interpersonal skills
    • Working closely with a Miami University faculty member or instructor
    • Holding a unique leadership position on campus
Contact Us

Bernard B. Rinella, Jr. Learning Center

306 Shriver Center
513-529-8741