The Impact of RSI on Scaffolding Self-Regulated Learning

Self-Regulated Learning Challenge	Historically Marginalized Students Most Affected	How RSI Responds	Equity Impact
Difficulty with time management in self-paced environments	Students from under-resourced K–12 systems who had fewer opportunities to develop planning strategies	Regular Interaction: weekly announcements, pacing reminders, structured module guidance	Provides external structure that helps students develop planning and time-management habits
Delayed task initiation or procrastination	Students adjusting to online learning expectations	Regular Interaction: reminders, check-ins, and progress monitoring	Encourages early engagement with assignments and helps students stay on track
Limited experience monitoring learning progress	Students with less exposure to metacognitive learning strategies	Substantive Interaction: progress feedback and instructor guidance on improvement	Helps students recognize gaps in understanding and adjust learning strategies
Difficulty interpreting feedback	Students developing academic language or disciplinary thinking	Substantive Interaction: scaffolded feedback explaining how to improve	Supports students in translating feedback into actionable revision strategies
Lack of experience with revision and iterative learning	Students from educational contexts emphasizing one-time evaluation	Substantive Interaction: revision opportunities and guided improvement	Encourages growth-oriented learning and skill development
Limited accountability structures in online courses	Students balancing work, caregiving, or other responsibilities	Regular + Substantive Interaction: instructor check-ins, milestone assignments, and progress reminders	Maintains engagement and supports sustained participation
Limited familiarity with academic learning strategies	Students who have not been explicitly taught study or planning strategies	Substantive Interaction: modeling of problem-solving, analysis, and disciplinary thinking	Makes effective learning strategies visible and teachable

Examples of How Faculty Can Scaffold Self-Regulated Learning Through RSI

Self-Regulated Learning Challenge	RSI Category	What Faculty Can Do	Example in an Online Course
Students struggle with time management in asynchronous courses	Regular Interaction – Category A (Course Structure & Presence)	Provide predictable pacing guidance and course organization	Weekly announcements outlining priorities, deadlines, and recommended pacing
Students delay starting major assignments	Regular Interaction – Category A (Course Structure & Presence)	Break major assignments into staged checkpoints	Require proposal, outline, draft, and final submission milestones
Students unsure how to plan their work	Regular Interaction – Category A (Course Structure & Presence)	Provide planning tools and weekly guidance	Include module checklists that outline required tasks and recommended study steps
Students fall behind without noticing	Regular Interaction – Category B (Engagement Monitoring & Support)	Monitor engagement and send progress reminders	Contact students who have not submitted assignments or logged in recently
Students unsure how to interpret feedback	Substantive Interaction – Category B (Individualized Feedback)	Provide feedback explaining how to improve and what strategies to try	Comment on assignments with suggestions for revising arguments or strengthening evidence
Students unfamiliar with effective learning strategies	Substantive Interaction – Category A (Live Instruction)	Demonstrate how to approach complex tasks	Host a live session explaining how to analyze readings or approach a research assignment
Students unsure how to revise work	Substantive Interaction – Category B (Individualized Feedback)	Provide revision opportunities and guidance	Allow draft submissions with feedback explaining how to strengthen the final version
Students misunderstand course concepts	Substantive Interaction – Category C (Course-Level Instructional Response)	Address patterns of misunderstanding across the class	Post a mini-lesson clarifying concepts that many students struggled with on a quiz
Students struggle to apply feedback to new tasks	Substantive Interaction – Category D (Embedded Activity Facilitation)	Guide thinking within discussions or activities	Ask follow-up questions in discussion threads that prompt deeper analysis and reflection