what is and isn't RSI

Regular and Substantive Interactions

How can you implement RSI in your online courses?

According to the Department of Education, fully online courses need to meet at least two of the following guidelines; however, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ recommends implementing as many of these as possible, as the minimum standard of two may not meet all the needs of your students.

Guideline 1 - Offer direct instruction of course content.
  • Engage students through live online sessions and schedule 1-on-1s if needed. Online courses cannot “require” synchronous instruction, but students can be asked to meet with the instructor at a convenient time for both parties.
  • Discuss course materials during virtual office hours and provide individual feedback.
  • Use Canvas Analytics to discuss student performance and achievements.
  • Provide consistent feedback based on the schedule outlined in the syllabus.
Guideline 2 - Assess and/or provide feedback on student coursework.
  • Provide feedback that is prompt, positive, and linked to objectives.
  • Use clear rubrics for transparency and fairness
  • Focus feedback on student effort and progress rather than comparisons with others.
  • Avoid controlling language in feedback, and praise actions instead of just results.
Guideline 3 - Provide information and respond to student questions about course content or competency.
  • Conduct a mid-semester survey to check in on students’ goals and challenges.
  • Use video-based discussion to create dynamic interactions and answer questions.
  • Ensure that continuous channels for questions and clarifications are available.
Guideline 4 - Facilitate group discussions about course content or competency.
  • Actively facilitate group discussions, encouraging students to explain topics to each other.
  • Promote collaborative projects with diverse perspectives and peer reviews.
  • Use peer instruction through short lectures, concept tests, peer discussions, and explanations.

Resources

See the full for more details including helpful references. 

The 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Online Instructional Design team has a tier-based course design guide that can be used to assist faculty with implementing RSI practices into their online course design. The tier-based guide is aligned with our  which provides evidence-based examples and solutions to help faculty meet online course quality threshold requirements.

We also have a short "Humanize Your Online Course" webinar that can offer helpful ideas to incorporate into your courses.