RSI – What does that mean?
Acronyms are pretty prevalent across the synod and our campus. LES? Lutheran Elementary School. ALHS? Area Lutheran High School. BIC? Bible Information Class. DP? District President.
As we build our CBE (competency-based education) programming at MLC (Martin Luther College), we are adding a few new acronyms to our WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) vocabulary.
You may have heard our instructional designer or director refer to RSI. What is RSI?
RSI stands for Regular and Substantive Interaction. RSI reflects the faculty’s commitment to supporting online learners. Thus, RSI is not exclusively connected to CBE courses but to all courses offered online at MLC.
Each element of RSI has specific definitions and expectations.
Regular interaction between students and their instructor in online instruction must be intentionally planned and initiated by the instructor. Regular interaction includes meeting with learners virtually or in person and tracking a learner’s performance and progress in an online course to provide timely interventions to support their learning.
Substantive interaction is more prescriptive. Substantive interaction involves engaging students in teaching, learning, and assessment activities consistent with the content under discussion that include at least two of the following:
- Providing direct instruction (synchronous only);
- Assessing or giving feedback on a student’s coursework;
- Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency;
- Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency and/or
- Other instructional activities as approved by the institutional or programmatic accrediting agency.
Regular and substantive work together to ensure our learners have a robust learning experience that our faculty intentionally supports.
Spotlight on CBTE Learner: Holly Sloan
Each of the returning adult learners in our program has a rich story of how God has called them to serve in their congregations and schools.
Each issue of our campus magazine, InFocus, will highlight one CBTE learner. Their articles are rich examples of how God uses the gifts and talents he gives each of us, the experiences learners can expect in the CBTE classes, and the promise of this new course of study.
The Spring 2025 article, She’s Going to Be a Teacher—and CBE Is Making It Happen, highlights Mrs. Holly Sloan.
How does grading work in a CBE Program?
The final result of completing a class in a competency-based education course of study is the same as MLC’s on-campus undergraduate programs. Letter grades are recorded on the official transcript of a learner who graduates from MLC with an undergraduate baccalaureate degree. These letter grades are then calculated as a term and a cumulative GPA.
There is, however, a difference in grading in our CBE courses. Assessments and activities can be connected to competencies. To complete the class, learners must achieve a proficient or mastery mark on all competencies. Learners are allowed to attempt the assessment or activity multiple times until they achieve at least a proficient score.
The design does not diminish a learner’s accomplishment in their classes. Instead, it assures that individuals who have completed their study in the competency-based education model have a minimum level of understanding of the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors expected of a called worker serving in our Synod.
