Being an SI leader

SI is a complement to regular teaching. It is a proven method that supports students to consolidate and process knowledge from lectures. The method is based on students who have previously studied the course in question leading study groups of around 5-15 students in an SI session. During the session, they work together on what is difficult but also interesting in the course. SI sessions are held on average once a week.

What is SI?

SI is an internationally established methodology developed in the 1970s at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, based on collaborative learning. SI is available in large parts of the English-speaking world. SI has been present in Sweden since 1993 and is now represented at most Swedish universities.
At Luleå University of Technology, the university library is responsible for SI activities.

SI is a type of mentoring activity where you as a first-year student are offered an extra study opportunity, a so-called SI pass.

What happens at the SI sessions?

Together with other students and SI leaders (who have previously taken the course), you will have the opportunity to:

• Collaborate in groups to solve problems, often in the form of exam questions.
• Try out different study strategies that can improve your learning.
• Get study tips from students who have completed the course
• Process content from a lesson or lecture in the course.

What does the SI leader do?

The SI leader:

• Has previously studied the course in which they are conducting SI sessions.
• Supervises and supports first-year students according to the collaborative learning method.
• Plans and implements one SI session/week for 5-15 students.
• Engages and motivates students to collaborate together through various group activities.

What do SI leaders say about SI sessions?

The quotes come from SI leaders at Luleå University of Technology.

"I think all those who participated got something out of explaining and collaborating on the tasks together."

"I think the sessions mainly contribute to the student's view of studies. They see that it is possible to process material together."

"They have become more confident in testing methods and solutions, it also feels like they have started to see that they can do more than they think and that we have managed to get rid of some thoughts that math is just difficult."

"I hope that the students who participated got the tools they need to pass the exams. But the most important thing I wanted to convey as an SI leader was the joy of the subject, to inspire and arouse curiosity in the participants. This is something I hope they have taken with them."

"Meeting students, seeing them develop and learn, and also sharing their own knowledge."

What does the SI leader get?

As an SI leader, you get training and guidance from educators, knowledge of modern leadership and valuable work experience for your CV.

The quotes come from SI leaders at Luleå University of Technology:

"To feel that I make a difference for other students, while developing myself as a leader."

"I have learned how others learn and I have become better at the subject."

"My social skills have improved because I have been put in new situations."

• European Center for SI Passports, Lund External link.
  Has the mission to inform, train and evaluate SI activities in Europe.

Open positions as SI-leader

If you’re interested, you can apply to work as an SI leader. Announcements about the work as SI leaders are usually made in May each year, and that is when you can also submit your application.

• Open positions