Supplemental Learning at Hillsborough Community College
SL Motto:
Tell me, and I forget,
Show me, and I remember,
Involve me, and I understand.
What is Supplemental Learning (SL)?
Supplemental Learning (SL) is a student-centered, peer-facilitated program designed to increase academic performance and retention through outside-of-class collaborative learning sessions. These sessions provide opportunities for students to discuss, develop, and process course concepts in collaboration with their peers. SL targets historically difficult, HIGH-RISK courses – (those challenging courses with thirty percent or higher rates of D, F, or Ws) rather than high-risk students. Campus Coordinators on each of the college’s four campuses are trained and certified to interview, select, train (on-going), and mentor each student leader.
Faculty participate in SL by fostering a supportive, encouraging relationship with their SL leaders, and by recommending promising students to serve as future SL Leaders in their class or discipline. Additional faculty participation takes place at the level of discussion, as faculty are asked to participate in end-of-term discussions of concepts and ideas that have potential to impact student success and retention.
The SL Leader, a peer facilitator who has previousiy taken and mastered the course, attends class lectures and facilitates two to three weekly sessions that focus on course content and learning strategies. Every element of SL – from session scheduling to active learning – is designed to serve the learning needs of the student. With SL, students apply discipline-specific learning strategies to the course content, thus matching how-to-learn with what-to-learn. Review sessions are conducted prior to and following tests and major exams, and national research shows that students who attend SL sessions regularly earn on average, at least a half grade higher than their non-participating peers. SL is a student-centered program; therefore, every aspect of SL – from meeting times to study materials – is designed to serve the learning needs of the students in the targeted course.
For more information about Supplemental Learning at HCC please contact the following
Campus Coordinators:
When Students Succeed, We Succeed
