Review and develop a variety of attendance strategies
Understand the importance of attendance and the shared responsibility of marketing the program
Actively read through the strategies (below) selecting your top three and come up with one strategy not included on the list (7 minutes)
Discuss your top selections and one CREATION with your partner. Determine which of your new ideas to share out to the whole group (10 minutes)
Be prepared to share your selected NEW strategy with the main room.
1. Report SI vs. non-SI test differences to the class in:
a. Test score averages
b. Amount of difference in scores
c. DFW and ABC rates
2. Report test scores from previous academic terms. Use national data until you develop your own history of institutional data.
3. Distribute reminder handouts to attend SI sessions throughout the term (i.e., bookmarks, labels, etc.).
4. Offer sample tests in SI sessions that are developed by questions generated in previous SI sessions.
5. Use worksheets occasionally during SI sessions, especially in problem-solving courses. Even the use of empty matrix worksheets may encourage students to attend who need something tangible to take away from the SI session.
6. Post anonymous quotations from students on how SI has helped/is helping; include some of those with the SI handout on the first day of class.
7. Write the daily SI times and locations on the board during each class.
8. If or when the instructor is absent, use class time to hold a voluntary SI session.
9. Offer something specific in SI sessions - a study skill, rules for problem solving, Jeopardy games, text review, etc. (as it relates to the course content).
10. Change SI times to accommodate the greatest number of students. Resurvey the class, if necessary.
11. Create an awareness video (5-10 minutes) that explains and promotes SI. Show it on the first day of class.
12. Place a display ad in the student newspaper that lists all courses to which SI is/will is attached. Remember to include a short description of SI.
13. Place an advertisement or announcement in the campus course booklet that identifies all courses to which SI will be attached. Again, remember to include a short description of SI.
14. Include schedules and location information on your website to make the session details easily accessible to students.
15. Use social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) to promote SI and update students regarding what is happening in SI sessions.
16. Gain the support of academic tutors, student lab assistants, lab instructors, recitation Leaders, graduate teaching assistants, and others to encourage students to attend SI sessions.
17. Ask faculty to post one difficult problem or concept on the board in class and state that this will be discussed during SI this week.
18. Ask faculty to regularly give verbal encouragement to ALL students in the course to attend SI. It is critical that the faculty member not just invite students who are receiving poor grades. If the reputation for SI develops that it is only for poor students, students may not come to avoid the remedial stigma.
19. Ask faculty to attach a small handout or bookmark to all exam papers to encourage everyone to attend SI sessions. The SI Supervisor should work with the professor to design and copy the materials.
20. Select one or more of the quality examination questions predicted during SI sessions by the participants to be used on the upcoming examination.