Fact Sheet: Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI)

   

Office of Online Programs

What is RSI?

Regular and Substantive Interaction is an important federal, legal obligation for online instruction (see Code of Federal Regulations) that is defined as when an instructor provides consistent opportunities for students to engage with the instructor, other students, and the content in a meaningful way. RSI has been proven to improve student learning outcomes and retention. It is also what distinguishes distance learning courses from correspondence courses, allowing institutions to be eligible for Title IV financial aid. In this article, we will break down the ways regular and substantive interaction can be done in online courses and how instructors can utilize this as a tool for engagement. Courses must include a minimum of two substantive interactions.

The 5 Factors of RSI

The 5 Factors of RSI

Substantive Activities

According to the Department of Education, an instructor must be using at least 2 of the following activities regularly in his/her class to meet the third criteria listed above:

Substantive Activities

How Do I Know If My Activity Meets the Regular and Substantive Requirements?

The following are some examples of beneficial activities that count towards RSI:

✔ Weekly discussion question prompts where the instructor and students respond to each other.

✔ Posting weekly announcements to recap key concepts and look ahead toward upcoming activities.

✔ Inline grading that provides individualized qualitative feedback to students.

✔ Facilitating group work or student presentations in which both students and the instructor comment on works in progress.

The following activities can count towards RSI if some conditions are met: (These conditions include the interaction being set up and initiated by the instructor, and two-way interaction between the instructor and the student occurring)

✔ An “Ask the Instructor” forum where the instructor answers student comments and concerns within 24-48 hours.

✔ Syllabus policy where the instructor commits to a time frame for when they will respond to students’ emails and when grades will be posted.

✔ Coordinating required live meetings with the instructor (one-on-one conferences, study sessions, or office hours) at flexible times based on the students’ availability.

The following activities do not count towards RSI:

Χ Discussion forums where the instructor does not interact with the students.

Χ Sporadic and inconsistent response to student email.

Χ Automated grading or checking boxes on a rubric.

Χ Sporadic office hours.

Χ Mandatory, live meetings at a time set by the instructor that may conflict with student schedules.

Additional Resources

For more information, please contact the Office of Online Programs: officeofonlineprograms@njit.edu.