What is Regular & Substantive Interaction (RSI)?

In distance education, regular and substantive interaction, or RSI, refers to the expectation that instructors will make frequent and concerted efforts to engage with their students over the course of the semester.

An institution ensures regular interaction between a student and an instructor or instructors by, prior to the student's completion of a course or competency—

  1. Providing the opportunity for substantive interactions with the student on a predictable and scheduled basis commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content in the course or competency; and
  2. Monitoring the student's academic engagement and success and ensuring that an instructor is responsible for promptly and proactively engaging in substantive interaction with the student when needed on the basis of such monitoring, or upon request by the student.

For purposes of this definition, substantive interaction is engaging students in teaching, learning, and assessment, consistent with the content under discussion, and also includes at least two of the following—

  • Providing direct instruction;
  • Assessing or providing feedback on a student's coursework;
  • Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency;
  • Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency; or
  • Other instructional activities approved by the institution's or program's accrediting agency.

Department of Education, 34 CFR 600.2

Why is RSI Important?

In addition to ensuring that students receive the quality educational experiences they are accustomed to at Kennesaw State University by promoting active engagement between instructors and their students, RSI is a requirement in the accreditation process for schools that receive student federal financial aid.

Additionally, the human element and communication pieces become even more important to consider at a time when many students are wondering how much they can learn from traditional, instructor-led courses when they have easy access to large language models, such as ChatGPT or Gemini, which can give them the illusion of personalized, one-on-one learning on virtually any topic. Your role as a guide becomes even more critical in helping them analyze and use these tools responsibly in your course and in your field at large.

What does RSI look like at KSU?

In a face-to-face, hybrid, or even synchronous online environment, students can engage in regular and sustained interactions during the course sessions, by engaging with their instructors and their classmates, asking questions, and receiving immediate answers and feedback. 

When students reach out asynchronously, via email or discussion boards, for example, best practices recommended replying within 24 hours on business days and 48 hours on weekends or holidays. However, this is just the beginning. In asynchronous online classes, a concerted effort must be made by instructors to reach the same levels of interactions that are traditionally initiated by the instructor in synchronous class settings, particularly when students and instructors are logging in at different times.

Providing Direct Instruction

Instructors can interact with students in real time during regularly scheduled course times.
Instructor can supplement pre-recorded lectures or other posted content with opportunities for students to engage with the instructor. For example, the instructor could monitor and reply to student questions in a Q&A forum. 

Assessing and/or providing feedback on a student’s coursework

Instructors can review and give feedback on student assignments during regularly scheduled class times.
Instructors can create assignments designed to provide students with individualized feedback, rather than relying on assignments that are automatically graded. 

Providing Information and/or responding to student questions about the course content

Instructors can provide additional information and reply to student questions during regularly scheduled class times. 
 Instructors can hold regularly scheduled office hours, allowing students the opportunity to engage directly in course content. 

Facilitating a group discussion

Instructors can facilitate group discussions during regularly scheduled class times. 
Instructors can actively facilitate online discussions by responding to students directly and providing individualized feedback. 

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