Regular and substantive interaction (RSI) continues to be top-of-mind as we ensure we are in compliance with federal regulations. How are you addressing RSI in your online course(s)? Join us in the quest for engagement, learning more about RSI, LMS tools, and strategies supporting interaction and student success.

Regular and substantive interaction (RSI) continues to be top-of-mind as American institutions ensure their distance education courses and programs are in compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s federal regulation enacted in 2021. As defined by the U.S. Department of Education (2021), institutions are required to “ensure there is regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors” in distance education courses. RSI is characterized as interaction initiated by the instructor and must be frequent and planned or scheduled as well as encompassing at least two of the following activities: providing direct instruction, assessing or providing feedback, providing information or responding to questions about content, facilitating group discussion, or other instructional activity approved by the institution or accrediting agency (WCET, 2021). Given these parameters, how are you addressing RSI in your online and hybrid course(s)? What instructional technologies or functions / features of your learning management system (LMS) contribute to RSI? How do we gauge whether our strategies are working? Join us in this fun and interactive quest for engagement where player participants will learn more about RSI elements, learning management system tools, and strategies supporting interaction, engagement, and student success in online courses. Brainstorm with colleagues to identify strategies you might use and share your perspectives on challenges and opportunities presented by RSI. OBJECTIVES (TAKEAWAYS): • Raise awareness of regular and substantive interaction (RSI), as initially defined by the U.S. Department of Education • Connect RSI elements to pedagogical / andragogical / heutagogical frameworks • Identify tools available in most learning management systems (LMS) that help facilitate RSI, fusing technology with strategy • Network with colleagues to identify and adapt teaching and learning strategies supporting student engagement in online courses PLAN FOR INTERACTIVITY: 1. At tables or in small groups, participants will play a card game where they will match an RSI element with an LMS / Instructional Technology Tool for a particular Course Type - asynchronous, blended, hyflex, describing strategies they might use in their own courses. 2. Ideas will be discussed and recorded with players identifying / upvoting the best strategy from their group to share with the larger audience. 3. Shares to the larger audience will be recorded so they can be made available after the session. 4. Session concludes with an open forum where participants can express their perspectives on challenges and/or opportunities presented by ideas and strategies. REFERENCES: SUNY Online. (2024). Regular and substantive interaction. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/view/sunyo-resources/course-development-tips/regular-and-substantive-interaction U.S. Department of Education. (2024). 34 CFR 600.2 Definitions. Retrieved from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-600/subpart-A/section-600.2 WCET. (2021). Regular and substantive interaction refresh: Reviewing & sharing our best interpretation of current guidance and requirements. Retrieved from https://wcet.wiche.edu/frontiers/2021/08/26/rsi-refresh-sharing-our-best-interpretation-guidance-requirements/