News
Dalton State first state college in Georgia to receive accreditation for Supplemental Instruction Program
11/27/23
Dalton State recently became the first state college in Georgia to receive a three-year accreditation for its Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program from the International Center for Supplemental Instruction (ICSI).
SI is a non-remedial, academic support program that provides students the opportunity to attend voluntary, out-of-class group study sessions to reinforce course concepts for a particular course.
“For me SI was my favorite part of the semester,” said Kris Kammerdiener, Dalton State student and SI attendee. “I had a three-year gap between Accounting 1 and Accounting 2, and I knew if I didn’t use the additional assistance that was being provided, I would end up struggling the rest of the semester.”
Student participation in SI at Dalton State shows increased academic and enrollment benefits. Data collected since fall 2021 from courses that have available SI sessions illustrate the average course GPA difference between students who attend SI and those who do not is 0.31, additionally students who attend SI sessions are 10% less likely to drop, fail or withdraw from the course.
Sessions are conducted by SI leaders, trained student tutors who have previously taken and excelled in a course. SI leaders retake the course and develop study sessions with engaging and collaborative activities for peers to attend twice a week outside of scheduled class periods. The sessions ensure peer-to-peer interactions, which is foundational to the SI model.
“My SI leader, Kailey, was extremely talented, and her sessions helped me decipher some of the more difficult material covered in class,” Kammerdiener said. “If I had not attended those SI sessions, I know I would not have passed Accounting 2.”
The peer structure of the program also provides a space for students to build connections and develop a sense of belonging.
“I discovered as the semester progressed how welcoming and awesome the SI study group was. SI quickly became a place I looked forward to visiting every week because I knew I could be myself more openly there,” said Kammerdiener.
While the SI program has existed on campus for several years, the program has expanded significantly in the past three years thanks to funding through the Title V Grant, a grant designed for developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI). The grant helps fund a full-time professional staff member and SI leaders. The grant also funded the renovation of a larger space on campus, providing updated technology and collaborative workspaces.
Dalton State was awarded the Title V Grant after being designated Georgia’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution with 36% of students identifying as Hispanic. Data from Dalton State’s SI accreditation application show more than 27% of SI attendees identify as Hispanic.
“As a part of Dalton State's mission, we intentionally serve all students with the aim of increasing successful outcomes. We understand investing in opportunities that benefit and serve every Dalton State student makes for a stronger institution,” said Jodi Johnson, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management. “HSI funds don't just benefit some; these funds are used to benefit all, providing access and opportunity for every enrolled student.”
The SI accreditation will allow Dalton State to further expand the Supplemental Instruction Program to continue providing academic support to students.
“The SI accreditation will help expand and improve the program with one-on-one support from a Certified ICSI Trainer and professional development opportunities,” said Cameron Godfrey, Coordinator for Peer Education. “These benefits from the accreditation will allow for additional training and professional development opportunities for trained SI Leaders, and higher quality study sessions for Dalton State students. Our goal is to provide our Roadrunners with quality academic support facilitated by trained peers who assist them during their journey here at Dalton State.”
SI is within the college’s Department of Peer Education in the Dean of Students office. Courses that include SI sessions and session schedules change semesterly. To learn more about the SI program at Dalton State visit daltonstate.edu or email cgodfrey@daltonstate.edu.