How can you implement RSI in your online courses?
According to the Department of Education, fully online courses need to meet at least two of the following guidelines; however, WSU recommends implementing as many of these as possible, as the minimum standard of two may not meet all the needs of your students.
| Guideline 1 - Offer direct instruction of course content. |
- Engage students through live online sessions and schedule 1-on-1s if needed. Online courses cannot “require” synchronous instruction, but students can be asked to meet with the instructor at a convenient time for both parties.
- Discuss course materials during virtual office hours and provide individual feedback.
- Use Canvas Analytics to discuss student performance and achievements.
- Provide consistent feedback based on the schedule outlined in the syllabus.
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| Guideline 2 - Assess and/or provide feedback on student coursework. |
- Provide feedback that is prompt, positive, and linked to objectives.
- Use clear rubrics for transparency and fairness
- Focus feedback on student effort and progress rather than comparisons with others.
- Avoid controlling language in feedback, and praise actions instead of just results.
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| Guideline 3 - Provide information and respond to student questions about course content or competency. |
- Conduct a mid-semester survey to check in on students’ goals and challenges.
- Use video-based discussion to create dynamic interactions and answer questions.
- Ensure that continuous channels for questions and clarifications are available.
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| Guideline 4 - Facilitate group discussions about course content or competency. |
- Actively facilitate group discussions, encouraging students to explain topics to each other.
- Promote collaborative projects with diverse perspectives and peer reviews.
- Use peer instruction through short lectures, concept tests, peer discussions, and explanations.
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Resources
See the full WSU RSI Regulations document for more details including helpful references.
The WSU Online Instructional Design team has a tier-based course design guide that can be used to assist faculty with implementing RSI practices into their online course design. The tier-based guide is aligned with our Best Practices Course Checklist which provides evidence-based examples and solutions to help faculty meet online course quality threshold requirements.
