RSI: Instructor-to-Student Interactions

Defining Substantive

"Substantive interaction" means engaging students in teaching, learning, and assessment, consistent with the content under discussion. Instructors must provide at least two methods of interaction:

Providing direct instruction on course materials
Assessing or providing responsive and meaningful feedback on a student's coursework
Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency
Facilitating a group discussion (i.e. participating in discussion boards) regarding the content of a course or competency
Other instructional activities approved by the institution's or program's accrediting agency

Defining Regular

“Regular interaction” between a student and instructor(s) should occur on a predictable and routine basis prior to the student's completion of a course or competency. Regular must include:

Providing the opportunity for substantive interactions with the student on predictable and scheduled basis commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content in the course or competency: and
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.

Achieving Instructor-to-Student Interaction

There are a variety of assessment activities instructors can use to initiate regular and substantive interaction with students. These activities include the following:

Announcements: Sending (at least) weekly announcements that directly engage the student learning activities and support resources for learning activities. These announcements are responsive to the current course and can assist with students’ recognition and reflection on real-time learning process and achievement of learning goals. Announcements remain in course and provide a permanent record of contact.
Discussions: Participating, commenting, or giving feedback on discussion board posts in ways that develop connection, extend learning, or allow for continued improvement. While some faculty find that their presence on the discussion can help direct or deepen the conversation, other faculty may choose to provide substantive interaction and commentary through the gradebook feedback areas. Other options for participating on discussion boards include providing all class feedback highlighting particular posts as best practices and inviting further reflection.
Assessment and Learning Feedback: Personalized feedback on student assessments including projects, papers, speeches, posts, quizzes, portfolios, exams, research, processes, and other assignments such as design, media, art, or material creations. Feedback should respond to individual student work. Feedback can include rubrics (or other criteria) as an effective method of feedback that helps clarify learning expectations. Feedback should be descriptive and specific and go beyond automatically graded quizzes or non-specific responses (ex. “Good job!”).
Email Outreach: Individual email outreach to students regarding course progress, learning response, feedback, and well-being. Instructors should respond to student emails within a reasonable timeframe (24-48 hours on weekdays) and state the expected response time in the syllabus. Instructors will inform students of extended absence due to a conference, leave (jury duty, etc.), or other unforeseen circumstances.
Online Chats: Participating in online chats (or other virtual chat platforms) including text threads or instant messaging that allow for real-time question, answer, and interaction
Office Hours and Live Interaction: Regularly occurring office hours or special study sessions provide instructor-to-student and student-to-student contact. Instructor-led field trips, study groups, video conferencing, or other forms of live engagement with students can also contribute to interactions.
Other Media: Videos, webcasts, podcasts, etc. that are timely and responsive to current classroom needs.
Third Party Tools or Publisher Packs: Instructors who use third party tools, such as publisher packs or other digital apps, must authenticate students through the college’s learning management system (LMS). When third party tools are used for instructor-to-student contact, instructors should use the LMS to document this interaction.

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