Offered through the Learning Center at Fresno State, Supplemental Instruction, gives students an opportunity to work together to develop learning strategies, exchange ideas and study course-specific material.
On average, students who attend Supplemental Instruction services at least once a week earn a 98% course passing rate and earn one full letter grade higher than their non-attending peers. However, many students are unable to access these services because of conflicts with their course and work schedules. To address this access and equity concern, the Supplemental Instruction Course Registration Initiative was launched in fall 2022.
For the first time ever, Supplemental Instruction sessions were scheduled prior to the start of the semester and shared with students in the course registration system, giving them the opportunity to register for sessions and build their semester schedule without needing to make adjustments to their work schedules or other commitments later in the term.
“The initiative introduces students to the SI program before the semester begins and it gives the students the power to schedule SI support around their classes and other commitments,” said Mai Kou Vang, program coordinator. “This is a game changer because SI is now a part of their academic schedule.”
Thirty-four course sections were offered with an optional Supplemental Instruction component in fall 2022, and almost 1,000 students registered for their course’s corresponding study session.
Courses paired through this initiative for fall 2023 will give students the option to register for the corresponding free study session. When students register, the session is added to their course schedule as a zero-unit course, which does not impact their GPA or have repercussions on their ability to graduate.
Students who registered for Supplemental Instruction were three times more likely to attend the study sessions compared to those who did not have this option made available during the time of registration, according to fall 2022 data from the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
Eighty-eight percent of students who used Supplemental Instruction services during the 2021-22 academic year said they were able to develop effective study skills, and 71% said they also made new friends while attending the sessions.
“I made it a requirement of myself to attend each session for Biology 67A since I was able to see it during registration,” said Rehab Moflehi, a pre-health major. “SI greatly helped me in anatomy and physiology…it [allowed] me extra review [and] also made me think about what I was struggling with, teaching me different strategies of studying which greatly improved my grades.”
In addition to the Supplemental Instruction Course Registration Initiative, the Learning Center is also working to make its Tutoring and Academic Success Coaching services more accessible to students.
In recent weeks, 16 tutors for drop-in tutoring subjects such as chemistry and math have started taking appointments for in-person or online tutoring. This gives students in over 300 courses the flexibility to meet with tutors in-person or online, by appointment or on a drop-in basis. This spring, there are 47 tutors supporting about 600 courses, the largest tutoring offering since the inception of the tutoring program.
Meanwhile, Academic Success Coaching staff are producing a series of informational videos to share with students to help them navigate life at Fresno State. Topics will include: how to successfully manage competing priorities as a scholar, best practices associated with learning strategies and techniques and ways to overcome imposter syndrome.
“Learning Center programs are student-centered, quality-driven and data-informed,” said Ruby Sangha-Rico, director of the Learning Center. “Our current efforts showcase the proactive role we aim to take in the student success story. Our goal now is to increase awareness and utilization of the Learning Center across all student groups, especially those that struggle the most with their navigation of the college experience.”
“We believe no student should be forced out of using SI services due to scheduling conflicts,” she said. “This innovative initiative will help to ensure access to this effective support system is no longer a concern.”
