2008 Woodie Awards
CMU offers extra instruction
Supplemental help being given in 10 classes this semester
By: Emily Davis
Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: News
Students struggling in difficult classes have a way to boost their grades.
The university is offering Supplemental Instruction sessions for 10 different classes this semester.
Current CMU students lead the SI sessions, which are designed to help students better understand material from challenging classes.
"Courses with high 'D,' 'E' or withdraw rates are chosen to have SI sessions," said Sean Novak, SI program supervisor.
For each class with accompanying SI sessions, at least three 50-minute-a-week sessions are offered. For example, in HSC 214: Human Anatomy, there are two SI instructors and therefore six different times students can take advantage of the added help.
Sarah Wischmeyer, an instructor for the course, said she remembers how helpful SI sessions where when she took some of the harder courses.
"When I took those hard classes, I went to SI and the people were awesome," the Essexville senior said.
Novak said the sessions can help students to improve their grades.
"Students who take advantage of the SI sessions increase their GPA 30 to 50 percent more than students who don't go to the sessions," he said.
Evan Pulver, a Williamsburg senior and SI student supervisor, said the sessions are helpful with the right attitude.
"Students can get as much out of it as they put into it," Pulver said.
Many students like the atmosphere, Novak said. He said students enjoy learning in a more relaxed peer classroom setting.
"It's easier for them to get peer-to-peer help," Novak said. "People who went through the same thing they're going through make it easier for the students. It's good for them to have instructors who lived through the positive and negative things about the class."
In addition to holding SI sessions, the instructors go to the classes with the students.
Novak, Wischmeyer and Pulver all said the sessions can range from zero to 150 people if there is an exam the next day.
"My sessions average about 30 people a night," Wischmeyer said. "However, I have had about 120 people on nights before exams."
See cm-life.com for a full list of SI class schedules, times, dates and locations.
news@cm-life.com
The university is offering Supplemental Instruction sessions for 10 different classes this semester.
Current CMU students lead the SI sessions, which are designed to help students better understand material from challenging classes.
"Courses with high 'D,' 'E' or withdraw rates are chosen to have SI sessions," said Sean Novak, SI program supervisor.
For each class with accompanying SI sessions, at least three 50-minute-a-week sessions are offered. For example, in HSC 214: Human Anatomy, there are two SI instructors and therefore six different times students can take advantage of the added help.
Sarah Wischmeyer, an instructor for the course, said she remembers how helpful SI sessions where when she took some of the harder courses.
"When I took those hard classes, I went to SI and the people were awesome," the Essexville senior said.
Novak said the sessions can help students to improve their grades.
"Students who take advantage of the SI sessions increase their GPA 30 to 50 percent more than students who don't go to the sessions," he said.
Evan Pulver, a Williamsburg senior and SI student supervisor, said the sessions are helpful with the right attitude.
"Students can get as much out of it as they put into it," Pulver said.
Many students like the atmosphere, Novak said. He said students enjoy learning in a more relaxed peer classroom setting.
"It's easier for them to get peer-to-peer help," Novak said. "People who went through the same thing they're going through make it easier for the students. It's good for them to have instructors who lived through the positive and negative things about the class."
In addition to holding SI sessions, the instructors go to the classes with the students.
Novak, Wischmeyer and Pulver all said the sessions can range from zero to 150 people if there is an exam the next day.
"My sessions average about 30 people a night," Wischmeyer said. "However, I have had about 120 people on nights before exams."
See cm-life.com for a full list of SI class schedules, times, dates and locations.
news@cm-life.com
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