Faculty Training Tools

Professional Development for Course Design, RSI Compliance & Workload Planning

Welcome to Your Teaching Resource Hub

This platform provides evidence-based tools to help you design effective, compliant, and balanced online and hybrid courses. Whether you're planning a new course or refining an existing one, these resources will guide you through workload calculations, federal compliance requirements, and best practices for student engagement.

Built on research from: Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning (CITL, University of Illinois), U.S. Department of Education RSI Guidelines, Quality Matters Standards, and community college best practices.

New Federal Requirements (2021)

All online courses must now include Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) between instructors and students. This means predictable, scheduled instructor-initiated engagement throughout the semester—not just responding to student questions. Our tools help you plan and document RSI compliance.

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Course Workload Calculator

Calculate if your course meets federal credit hour requirements (Carnegie Unit). Input your activities and get instant feedback on whether your course is too light, too heavy, or just right.

  • Federal credit hour compliance
  • Activity-by-activity breakdown
  • RSI recommendations
  • Work distribution analysis
  • Downloadable course summary
Available Now
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RSI Training Modules

Interactive learning modules covering federal RSI requirements, compliant course design strategies, and how to document instructor presence in Canvas.

  • Federal regulation overview
  • 5 types of substantive interaction
  • Canvas tools for RSI tracking
  • Common compliance mistakes
  • Self-assessment checklist
Coming Soon
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Course Design Templates

Download ready-to-use templates for course maps, weekly interaction schedules, assignment rubrics, and RSI documentation for accreditation reviews.

  • 8-week & 16-week course maps
  • Weekly RSI planning sheets
  • Grading timeline calculators
  • Student workload estimators
  • Compliance checklists
Coming Soon
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Canvas Best Practices

Step-by-step guides for using Canvas features to ensure RSI compliance, track student engagement, and streamline grading workflows.

  • Using "Message Students Who" tool
  • Canvas analytics for intervention
  • Discussion board strategies
  • Feedback video recordings
  • Gradebook setup for efficiency
Coming Soon

Accessibility Toolkit

Ensure your course meets ADA and Section 508 requirements. Tools for checking PDFs, videos, and course materials for accessibility compliance.

  • Document accessibility checkers
  • Captioning resources
  • Alternative text guidance
  • Color contrast testers
  • Screen reader testing tips
Coming Soon
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Engagement Strategies

Research-backed strategies for increasing student participation, reducing attrition, and building community in online courses.

  • Discussion prompt templates
  • Icebreaker activities
  • Peer review frameworks
  • Group project scaffolding
  • Motivational feedback examples
Coming Soon