What is Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI)?
Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) is the legal federal requirement for distance education courses and is defined as taking place on a “predictable and scheduled basis” and “substantive” means students are engaged through teaching, learning, and assessment. This includes at least two of the five activities:
- providing direct instruction;
- assessing or providing feedback on a student’s course work;
- providing information or responding to questions about the content 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.
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How the QLT Rubric 3rd Edition Supports RSI
The QLT Rubric provides objectives to guide and support the design and delivery of an online course. The QLT Rubric can be leveraged by faculty, instructional designers, departments and institutions to also improve and update existing online courses. Throughout the QLT Rubric there are many objectives that support regular and substantive interaction (RSI) between the student and the instructor. See below select QLT objectives that meet the RSI legal federal requirement for distance education courses.
QLT Objectives that address and support RSI
Section 1
Objective 1.4 Online course etiquette expectations across relevant communication and dialog modalities (e.g., email, chat, online discussion forums, messaging threads) are presented and clear to the student, addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Objective 1.7 The instructor provides samples of student work and provides opportunities for students to ask questions. These are in addition to email inquiries, office hours, or individual appointments.
Objective 1.8 Instructor asks students to share or reflect on their own learning goals.
Section 2
Objective 2.6 Throughout the semester, the instructor provides multiple opportunities to solicit feedback from their students about their learning and on the course for the improvement of the course.
Section 4
Objective 4.2 Instructor provides information about being a successful learner/student.
Objective 4.5 The modes and requirements for student interaction are clearly communicated.
Objective 4.6 Instructor clearly explains their role regarding participation in the course. Instructor participates, facilitates student participation, and encourages students to take ownership and promote different points of view.
Section 5
Objective 5.1 The instructor is helpful in normalizing a culturally responsive and sustainable and/or critical lens on course topics, respecting culturally diverse expressions while addressing microaggressions or disrespectful comments.
Objective 5.2 The instructor clearly helps students make connections between the content and the course activities, and how their life experience and mastery of concepts gained in the course will integrate into their college degree, future career, and role as a global citizen.
Objective 5.4 The instructor empowers students with choices to encourage the exploration of new concepts and new perspectives through the course experience.
Objective 5.5 The instructor helps to focus discussion/interaction on relevant issues. Instructor also provides how microaggressions (e.g.,intentional or unintentional negative attitudes toward marginalized groups) or disrespectful comments in the course discussions will be addressed.
Objective 5.6 The instructor demonstrates commitment to students’ learning by providing clear feedback in a timely manner.
Objective 5.7 The instructor provides communication in multiple formats to students about important goals and course topics as opportunities arise, enunciating respect to students' diverse identities, backgrounds and cultures.
Objective 5.9 The course resources, student tasks, activities, assessments, and instructional strategies build upon students’ individual strengths and assets as it pertains to their cultural and linguistic backgrounds and funds of knowledge.
Section 7
Objective 7.1 The instructor states their role in the support process and what type of things they can support.
Section 8
Objective 8.1 Course design and activities enact the core principles of Universal Design for Learning by incorporating multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement. Accessibility is therefore embedded in the course design rather than a reactive accommodation for those with registered disabilities
Section 9
Objective 9.1 The instructor provides students opportunities to ask questions as a form of closure and to foster insight into accomplishments.
Objective 9.2 The instructor provides students with feedback about their overall learning and progress and their experiences of the term.
Objective 9.3 The instructor provides opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and connect their individual learning goals with the expectations (stated learning objectives and outcomes) of the instructor.