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Regular and Substantive Interaction

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SUBSTANTIVE INTERACTION

Engaging students in

  • teaching,
  • learning,
  • assessments,
  • consistent with the content under discussion

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Substantive Interaction Includes

At least two (2) of the following:

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        • Providing direct instruction;
        • Assessing or providing feedback on a student’s coursework;
        • Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course;
        • Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course;
        • Other instructional activities approved by the institution’s or program’s accrediting agency.

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REGULAR INTERACTION

  1. Providing the opportunity for substantive interactions with the student on a predictable and schedule basis commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content in the course or competency.

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  • Monitoring the student’s academic engagement and success and ensuring that an instructor is responsible for promptly and proactively engaging in substantive interaction with the student when needed, on the basis of such monitoring, or upon request by the student.

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Examples of Regular & Substantive Interaction

NOT Examples of Regular & Substantive Interaction

Course design provides for a regular interaction between instructor and student

Adding numeric grades to the course gradebook

Instructor provides feedback on individual students’ assignments or exam

A student submits a quiz that is automatically graded

Instructor actively facilitates an online discussion

Providing an open-ended online forum that is not moderated by the instructor

Instructor posts announcement or corresponds by e-mail with academic aspects of the class

Communication with student(s) not related to subject matter/course content; for example, sending reminder of something related to course university policy; code of conduct, etc..

Instructor facilitates an interactive tutorial or webinar

Assignment of recording webinars, videos, and reading materials if the course design does not require the students to review the assigned materials and then interact with the instructor

Instructor moderates small working/study groups

Encouraging student to participate in an optional, one-time online review session before the final exam

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How can you promote regular & substantive interaction in online courses?

  • Set clear expectations for interaction in the syllabus
  • Send course announcements or other messages at regular intervals throughout the semester
  • Provide timely, individualized, and in-depth feedback on student work
  • Actively facilitate online discussions and chats
  • Conduct regularly scheduled online review sessions, tutorials, office hours, and/or individual appointments
  • Choose online tools and learning environments that make interaction easy - and easy to document
  • Collect mid-semester feedback from students
  • Ask for feedback from trusted colleagues