As the professor makes students aware of the academic support they can receive through SI, the SI leader becomes a liaison between instructor and student. Students reluctant to pose questions in class or lacking the confidence to pursue a confusing concept during a lecture may do so in the SI group, since the SI leader acts as the facilitator rather than an evaluator. These questions can be discussed in the group and specifically framed for verification or further explanation with the instructor. Within the pilot used with the community college history class, the professor became aware of a higher level of questioning from students in the class. Questions demonstrating students' efforts to assimilate the content became the norm, rather than the usual questions on the length of a paper, due dates, etc.
Professors also use SI leaders as instructional resource aides.
Study guides for text chapters, vocabulary lists, and outlines for sample essay questions created within the SI group sessions become supplements to the professor's lectures. In addition, since the SI leader must maintain close contact with the instructor and is present at each lecture, the professor may use the SI leader to evaluate the effectiveness or clarity of specific concepts or audiovisual aids used in the class. With the focus on the difficult course and the recommendation of the professor to students in the class to use the service, SI avoids the remedial label of the separate tutoring situation or the post-exam study skills workshop. Within the pilot study, attendance by more capable students in the course attracted others who anticipated academic difficulty. This peer modeling is often used in selecting and training the SI leader.