Supplemental Instruction sees record-breaking year of utilization

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 27, 2025) — Student success is at the heart of the mission at the University of Kentucky. Through dedicated academic support initiatives, the university strives to ensure that graduates are prepared for the demands of the classroom and of Kentucky’s workforce and beyond. This commitment is reflected in the significant growth of programs like Supplemental Instruction (SI), a peer-led initiative to improve academic performance and support students enrolled in some of the university's most challenging courses.

SI, offered through Transformative Learning (TL), a unit housed in UK's Office for Student Success, has seen an impressive 40.9% increase in student visits during the 2024-25 academic year, with 1,164 more visits in Fall 2024 alone. With 252 unique students attending SI sessions in Fall 2024, the program’s reach and effectiveness continue to grow, meeting the evolving needs of UK’s student body.

“SI was piloted at UK in the Fall of 2019 with ANA 109/110,” said Cat Little, assistant director of Supplemental Instruction. “Transformative Learning has offered academic support to students in 100- and 200-level math, science and business courses for over 20 years, but we recognized there was a need for academic support in courses that were large lecture-style classes with high enrollment, fulfilled a UK Core requirement and/or were considered challenging. The program's model is designed to support specific courses taught by specific faculty members at UK by hiring an SI Leader who took that course with that faculty member and was successful.”

SI leaders attend lectures with currently enrolled students, take notes during lectures and collaborate with the faculty member and teaching team to prepare structured and collaborative study sessions. They will then guide the students through complicated concepts/material/content using facilitation strategies that allow for the students to not only better understand the course content but to build their "academic toolkit" of study strategies that work. Little says these strategies can then be used by students later in their academic careers in higher-level coursework.

Since its inception in 2019, SI has expanded rapidly with more than 16 courses and 20 faculty partners, further extending the impact of the program. 

The results speak for themselves: 84% of students reported that SI increased their understanding of course material, and 89% said they would recommend the program to others. Additionally, students who attend at least one SI session are significantly more likely to pass their courses with a grade of C or better, reinforcing the program's role in improving academic outcomes.

“SI’s framework is all about providing accessible academic support that is led by an undergraduate peer who knows how to be successful in the course they are supporting because they took it at UK with that faculty member,” Little explained. “Students not only receive academic support but also work with their peers, contribute to their own learning as well as the learning of their classmates, and develop successful study skills and strategies that they can apply to other courses. SI sessions reflect future professional and academic settings in that they function on teamwork, collaboration, communication and motivation, which are all skills imparted on UK students and graduates.”

Beyond academic improvement, the program also fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment among students.

“Not only do I hope students leave an SI session feeling better prepared for the course they are enrolled in, I hope that they leave feeling empowered to be successful, supported by their classmates and peers, listened to by the service and TL as a whole, and welcomed so that they are encouraged to return and utilize the service (or any of TL's services) again in the future while they are a Wildcat," Little said.

The SI program is part of a larger effort by UK’s Student Success division, which includes five areas and 25 units, all working toward the common goal of helping students live lives of meaning and purpose. From tutoring to financial wellness, UK’s resources ensure that students have the support they need both inside and outside the classroom. Through innovative programs like SI and a broad range of student success resources, UK is ensuring that every student has the support they need to succeed. 

For more information on the Supplemental Instruction program or to view a full list of supported courses, visit studentsuccess.uky.edu/transformative-learning/services/supplemental-instruction.

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