Online Learning

Communicate with Students

Provide the opportunity for substantive interactions with students on a predictable and scheduled basis.

Practices

Regular and substantive interaction (RSI) between students and instructors is a U.S. Department of Education requirement for online classes. More importantly, research has shown that instructor-student interaction is an essential component of learning. Here are the essential practices for this category.

Essential Practices
  • Outline and follow communication expectations in the syllabus.
  • Meet the expectations for regular and substantive interaction.
  • Use multiple ways to communicate with students.
  • Engage with students to further clarify concepts as needed while teaching the course.
  • Respond to student questions within 24 hours Monday – Friday.
High-Impact Practices for Continuous Improvement
  • Schedule weekly one-on-one meeting opportunities.
  • Engage in discussion activities with students.
  • Lead interactions in a respectful, upbeat, positive way to encourage student engagement.
  • Communicate instructor availability prior to major assignment due dates.

Examples

  • Provide feedback and guidance on the content, through weekly announcements or other messaging tools.
  • Establish instructor presence by tracking student engagement throughout the term.
  • Communicate your availability throughout the term in the course work schedule, e.g. around major due dates and group work.
  • Communicate as mentor, coach, and cheerleader to build confidence and provide encouragement.
  • Offer multiple modes of communication and provide scheduling flexibility to accommodate students.
  • Utilize integrated tools within D2l, such as announcements, images, video, audio, discussions, and Zoom, to enhance instructor-learner and learner-learner interaction.
  • Participate in student discussions by providing a summary, to correct errors of fact, to keep the discussion on topic and move it to deeper levels, or to add expertise to the content of the discussion.
  • Use inclusive and culturally responsive language when communicating with students. Model respect for social, cultural and linguistic differences and be culturally sensitive when using humor or idioms in the course.
  • Use D2L calendar, intelligent agents, and other communication tools to maximize contact with students.
  • Consider using a tool such as VoiceThread for discussion that include video, audio, images, and text.
  • Advertise the Q&A forum as the primary place for asking questions regarding course content and assignments to reduce the number of student emails, to make the answers available to all students, and to address them in a timely manner.

Resources