What is RSI?

Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) refers to meaningful instructor-initiated interaction with students, occurring on a predictable and scheduled basis, and involving academic engagement.
RSI is required by federal distance education regulations and is a core component of quality online teaching.

• Regular: Occurs frequently, is scheduled or expected, and not sporadic or student-initiated only.

• Substantive: Relates directly to the academic subject, including instruction, feedback, content engagement, or responding to student work.

Core Moodle Tools That Support RSI

1. Announcements (News Forum)

Tool Function:

• Allows instructors to post course-wide announcements.

• Students receive notifications via email or the Moodle app.

How It Supports RSI:

• Regular communication of expectations, reminders, and course updates.

• Initiates instructor presence and interaction.

Example Use:

• Weekly “What’s Ahead” announcements that summarize the week’s objectives and activities.

• Reminders about upcoming due dates and live sessions.

2. Forum

Tool Function:

• A structured discussion tool that allows asynchronous conversations between instructors and students.

• Includes options for Q&A, standard forums, and single-thread discussions.

How It Supports RSI:

• Enables instructor-initiated discussions.

• Allows for academic questioning, clarification, and feedback.

Example Use:

• Create a weekly discussion forum with prompts tied to course readings.

• Instructor responds to at least two student posts to extend the conversation.

3. Assignment

Tool Function:

• Collects student work (text, file uploads, media) and allows instructors to provide feedback and grades.

• Supports feedback with text, audio, or video comments.

How It Supports RSI:

• Substantive feedback on student work.

• Regular engagement with student progress.

Example Use:

• After students submit essays, instructor provides personalized feedback and follow-up questions.

• Schedule weekly assignment deadlines to maintain consistent interaction.

4. Quiz

Tool Function:

• Builds auto-graded or manually graded assessments.

• Supports feedback per question and overall attempt.

How It Supports RSI:

• Immediate feedback fosters ongoing academic dialogue.

• Can be paired with follow-up messaging or forums.

Example Use:

• Add explanatory feedback to quiz answers to reinforce key concepts.

• Post an announcement or forum thread encouraging students to discuss challenging questions.

5. Feedback & Choice Activities

Tool Function:

• Feedback: Collects information, reflections, or formative assessments.

• Choice: Allows students to select an option (e.g., topics, meeting times).

How It Supports RSI:

• Encourages student reflection and allows instructors to respond substantively to learner needs.

• Promotes instructor awareness and adaptation.

Example Use:

• Midterm check-in feedback activity to gauge student understanding.

• Instructor posts a response summarizing results and adjusts instruction accordingly.

6. Database, Glossary & Wiki

Tool Function:

• Collaborative content-building tools.

• Students contribute entries that can be reviewed, commented on, or graded.

How It Supports RSI:

• Facilitates co-construction of knowledge with instructor input.

• Allows substantive review and commentary.

Example Use:

• Students build a glossary of key course terms, instructor comments and adds clarifications.

• Database activity for sharing research article summaries.

7. H5P Interactive Content

Tool Function:

• Allows creation of interactive learning objects (videos, quizzes, branching scenarios).

• Provides immediate feedback.

How It Supports RSI:

• Engages students actively and gives instructors a chance to review performance data.

• Can be paired with announcements or forums for follow-up.

Example Use:

• Interactive video with embedded questions. Instructor reviews results and posts targeted tips.

8. Scheduler & Calendar

Tool Function:

• Scheduler: lets students book meetings or office hours with instructors.

• Calendar: communicates due dates and live sessions.

How It Supports RSI:

• Enables real-time, synchronous interaction.

• Encourages proactive communication.

Example Use:

• Weekly drop-in virtual office hours.

• Calendar reminders for live sessions or assignment check-ins.

9. Gradebook with Feedback

Tool Function:

• Centralized area where instructors can provide feedback and grades across activities.

How It Supports RSI:

• Keeps interaction transparent and consistent.

• Encourages timely, substantive feedback.

Example Use:

• Gradebook feedback to direct students to additional resources.

• Regular updates keep students informed of progress.

10. Turnitin Integration

Tool Function:

• Integrated plagiarism detection and feedback tool.

• Allows inline grading, rubrics, and audio feedback.

How It Supports RSI:

• Instructor can provide detailed, substantive comments.

• Feedback loop enhances academic engagement.

Example Use:

• Instructor uses Turnitin to provide formative feedback on drafts.

• Follow-up announcement or message encourages revisions.

11. Video & Media Tools

Tool Function:

• Integration with media services (e.g., Panopto, built-in video recorder).

• Allows instructors to post or embed lectures, tutorials, and messages.

How It Supports RSI:

• Personalized video messages establish instructor presence.

• Multimedia content can be used to provide substantive explanations.

Example Use:

• Weekly recorded lecture introducing key concepts.

• Short feedback videos responding to common assignment issues.

Strategies to Build RSI into Your Course Design

Best Practices for RSI in Moodle 4.5

• Schedule interactions and make them predictable (e.g., weekly announcements, discussion responses by Friday).

• Initiate contact—don’t rely solely on student questions.

• Use multiple modalities (text, audio, video) to engage diverse learners.

• Provide timely feedback to foster continuous engagement.

✅ Sample RSI Checklist for Each Week:

•  Post at least one course announcement

•  Engage in forums (reply to at least 2–3 student posts)

•  Provide individualized feedback on at least one activity

•  Offer an opportunity for live or direct interaction (office hours, chat, feedback)

•  Update gradebook and feedback

•  Post a short content overview or reflection