Teaching Online

  • Introduce yourself
  • Use weekly announcements and check-ins
  • Personalize feedback

  • Incorporate discussion forums with thoughtful prompts
  • Use peer review or collaborative tools like Padlet, Jamboard, or Google Docs
  • Offer live sessions (optional or required) for connection

Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) is a federal requirement for online and hybrid courses to ensure that students receive meaningful academic engagement with their instructors. RSI helps distinguish distance education (which is eligible for financial aid) from correspondence courses (which are not).

To meet RSI requirements, instructors must actively and consistently engage with students in ways that are purposeful, academic, and instructor-initiated throughout the course.

RSI Must Be:

  • Regular: Occurs on a predictable and scheduled basis, such as weekly announcements, feedback cycles, or check-ins—not just when students ask for help.
  • Substantive: Goes beyond grading or administrative tasks and involves direct academic instruction, constructive feedback, or guided discussion that supports student learning.
  • Instructor-Initiated: The instructor takes the lead in reaching out and facilitating engagement, rather than waiting for students to initiate contact.

Examples of RSI:

  • Weekly announcements with learning objectives
  • Instructor posts and replies in discussion boards
  • Personalized feedback on assignments
  • Virtual office hours or video responses to class questions
  • Direct instruction via video lectures or screencasts

What RSI Is Not:

  • Auto-graded quizzes with no feedback
  • Student-to-student discussion only
  • Passive content (e.g., readings or videos without instructor presence)
  • One-time welcome messages or midterm check-ins

Formative Assessment Tools (Check Progress, Guide Learning)

 1. Quizzes (Low-Stakes)

  • Canvas Classic Quizzes or New Quizzes can be used for:
  • Practice questions
  • Self-checks with instant feedback
  • Exit tickets or knowledge checks
  • Include ungraded or no-point quizzes to reduce pressure

2. Discussions

  • Use graded or ungraded discussions to assess understanding informally
  • Promotes metacognition, peer exchange, and instructor feedback

3. Assignments with Drafts

  • Accept multiple drafts of an essay or project
  • Provide feedback using comments and annotations before final submission

4. SpeedGrader with Rubrics

  • Offer narrative comments, audio/video feedback, and rubric scores
  • Helps students revise and understand expectations early in the process

5. Canvas Studio (if available)

  • Use embedded questions in instructional videos to check comprehension
  • Get analytics on student engagement and responses

6. Survey Tools

  • Use ungraded Canvas surveys (anonymous or not) to gather feedback on learning progress or confidence

Summative Assessment Tools (Evaluate Mastery)

1. Graded Quizzes & Exams

  • Use timed quizzes, question banks, and proctoring tools (if needed) for summative tests
  • Add essay or short-answer questions for deeper analysis

2. Final Projects or Portfolios

  • Create assignment submissions for projects that include:
  • Written work
  • Media or presentation uploads
  • Reflections and self-assessments

3. Rubrics for Major Assignments

  • Create detailed grading rubrics for consistency and transparency
  • Helps with student understanding of performance levels

4. Group Assignments

  • Use for collaborative summative assessments (e.g., debates, presentations)
  • Peer evaluation tools available via Canvas peer review feature

Feedback Tools in Canvas

  • SpeedGrader: Comment directly on student work, annotate PDFs, add media feedback

  • Rubrics: Offer clear criteria and structured feedback

  • Audio/Video Comments: Personalize feedback and increase student connection

  • Canvas Comment Bank: Save and reuse common feedback phrases

  • Inbox + Announcements: Share group feedback or reminders

Quick Tips for Assessment 

  • Use varied formats: quizzes, reflections, projects
  • Provide clear rubrics and turnaround times
  • Monitor participation using Canvas analytics

As a community college instructor, you may use, and you will almost certainly encounter students using, tools powered by Generative AI (GenAI)—such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or other language and image generation platforms. These tools can assist with brainstorming, drafting, feedback, and more. When used ethically and intentionally, GenAI can support both teaching efficiency and student engagement.

At our college, we encourage faculty to explore GenAI as a supplement—not a substitute—for human interaction, critical thinking, and academic integrity. Understanding its strengths and limitations is key to making informed decisions about how and when to incorporate AI into your practice.

For guidance, professional development, or policy information, please reach out to your department chair, the Center for Teaching and Learning, or visit our AI & Teaching Resources pages linked below:

Why Compliance Documentation Matters

As part of our commitment to quality online education, we are required to maintain up-to-date compliance documentation, including course syllabi and evidence of Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI). These records ensure that our courses meet federal guidelines, accreditation standards, and institutional policies. Documenting syllabi and RSI practices not only supports transparency and consistency, but also protects students’ rights and reinforces our responsibility as educators in the digital environment.

Please contact your Division Chair or designee to verify submission details. 

  1. Syllabi: Instructors must submit their syllabi to the Division Chair or designee. Use the official SMCC syllabus template, which includes the RSI-required fields.
  2. RSI Documentation: Instructors must submit their RSI Documentation Form outlining their interaction plan, types and frequency of academic interactions, and their evidence (e.g., screenshots) of their RSI.
    1. Make a copy of this template to document your RSI compliance
    2. Name the file, Last, First I_ Course_Section
    3. Example: Doe, J._PSY101_45678
    4. IMPORTANT: Redact student information (names, images, etc.) prior to submitting your documentation

Quick Tips for Staying Compliant

  • Log in regularly and interact with students by providing feedback on assignments, hosting virtual office hours, and initiating discussion board interactions
  • Use Canvas for grades, course content, and communicating with students
  • Respond to student communications and submissions promptly
  • Ensure all instructional videos are captioned
  • Protect student privacy (FERPA)
  • Download the Strategies for Establishing and Maintaining RSI document
  • View the RSI Examples document

Accessibility: Captioning Support, other Accessibility Checker tools

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