ONLINE COURSE DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES
Compass of Online Teaching Excellence (COTE)
Quick but robust guidelines for instructors to create student-centered online learning experiences infused by high-impact pedagogical practices.
What is COTE?
The Compass of Online Teaching Excellence (COTE) Framework is a comprehensive guide that provides clear guidelines and practical strategies for college instructors to create and deliver student-centered, high-impact online courses. Represented symbolically by a compass, the framework emphasizes the interconnectedness of its guiding principles, promoting a holistic approach to effective course delivery. The framework consists of four core Keystones supported by adaptable Omni Elements.
Keystones of Successful Instruction
The Keystones include Course Structure, Technology Integration, Community Building, and Student Engagement. Represented by the compass cardinal points, the Keystones form the foundation of the framework. The Course Structure Keystone guides the organization and flow of learning experiences, promoting coherence and effectiveness. The Technology Integration Keystone supports faculty in selecting and implementing effective technologies to promote collaboration, foster engagement, and strengthen student retention. The Student Engagement Keystone promotes active participation and meaningful interactions to cultivate a dynamic learning environment. The Community Building Keystone highlights strategies that enrich the educational journey by fostering a sense of community through collaboration and shared experiences.
Community Building
Course Structure
UDL. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Omni Element promotes inclusive teaching strategies that accommodate diverse learning styles
Accessibility. The Accessibility Omni Element ensures that all course materials and activities are accessible to every student, removing barriers to learning.
Evaluation. The Evaluation Omni Element emphasizes continuous assessment and feedback to measure and enhance the achievement of course goals.
Resources. The Resources Omni Element provides essential academic resources and technical support to facilitate a comprehensive learning experience.Student Engagement
Technology Integration
Technology Integration Keystone. The Technology Integration Keystone supports faculty in selecting and implementing effective technologies to promote collaboration, foster engagement, and strengthen student retention.OMNI Elements
The Omni Elements are flexible tools that make each Keystone more inclusive, resilient, and responsive to diverse student needs.
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Omni Element promotes inclusive teaching strategies that accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities.
The Accessibility Omni Element ensures that all course materials and activities are accessible to every student, removing barriers to learning.
The Evaluation Omni Element emphasizes continuous assessment and feedback to measure and enhance the achievement of course goals.
The Resources Omni Element provides essential academic resources and technical support to facilitate a comprehensive learning experience.
Who is COTE For?
College Instructors
COTE equips college instructors with practical tools and strategies to develop engaging, student-centered online courses. It emphasizes inclusivity, accessibility, and innovative use of technology to create dynamic and effective learning environments.
Instructional Designers
COTE offers instructional designers a detailed blueprint for creating accessible, well-organized, and pedagogically sound online courses. The framework supports the design of inclusive learning experiences that meet diverse student needs while maintaining coherence and quality.
Online Course Reviewers
COTE provides course reviewers with robust tools to evaluate the quality of online courses against established benchmarks. By emphasizing best practices and institutional standards and policies, the framework encourages effective and accessible online learning environments, aligned with educational goals.
How to Use COTE?
Select a Keystone
Select a keystone based on your focus, or review all for a broader view.
Apply the Learn How to Implement Section
Follow the strategies and examples in the earn How to Implement section.
COTE Checklists
CHECKLISTS
Course Structure Keystone
CHECKLISTS
Technology Integration Keystone
CHECKLISTS
Community Building Keystone
License
COTE Framework by Ana Marjanovic and Carlos Guevara, Hostos EdTech is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Edition
Version 1.0. Published on February 7, 2025.
Background and Foundations of COTE
The COTE framework is the most recent update of the long-lasting Hostos Online Course Development Guidelines that have been providing a framework for creating effective, student-centered, and engaging online learning experiences. The COTE framework is aligned with approaches from several sources that bridge institutional policies and industry best practices, including the California State University (CSU) guidelines for online learning, California State University, Chico guidelines for online learning, Quality Matters, IDEAS Framework for Teaching Online and the SUNY Online Course Quality Review Rubric (OSCQR) scorecard adopted by the Online Learning Consortium (OLC). The OSCQR framework, a widely recognized tool for evaluating and improving online course quality with a learner-centered focus, was thoughtfully integrated into COTE’s design.
In addition, COTE heavily relies on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework developed by CAST.
The COTE framework will be continuously adapted to address the changes in the field infused by a variety of teaching modalities and AI enhancements, assuring that online courses meet the highest standards of quality and effectiveness in the rapidly evolving educational landscape.
Ethical Use of AI Statement
The development of this project has been assisted by the use of advanced AI tools (Chat GPT, Miro, Sider, Copilot, and Perplexity) in the research, data analysis, and content drafting adhering to established academic and professional norms.The tool has been used in adherence to established academic and professional standards. All content has been thoroughly reviewed, and fact-checked by Ana Marjanovic, Carlos Guevara, and Wilfredo Rodriguez, and aligned with current educational theory and national standards. Revisions have been made to ensure accuracy, relevance, and originality, while also mitigating any potential biases of AI algorithms. No identifiable personal data was included in AI inputs. The final product represents a blend of AI’s computational efficiency with careful human oversight and expertise, adhering to the highest quality and integrity of this program.
We’d Love Your Feedback
Your input helps us improve and better support your teaching needs. Share your thoughts on the COTE Framework and how we can enhance it further.
Credits
Author
Ana Marjanovic
Instructional Designer & LMS Administrator, EdTech
Strategist/Advisor
Carlos Guevara
Director of EdTech, Co-Director, Center for Teaching and Learning
Reviewers
- Wilfredo Rodríguez, Coordinator of EdTech, Hostos Community College
- Ljubica Depovic, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at LaGuardia Community College
- Nelson Nunez-Rodriguez, Professor, NIH IRACDA BETTR Program Coordinator, Natural Sciences Department, Hostos Community College
Editors
- Kate Ascher, Milstein Professor of Urban Development, Columbia University
- John Romano, Senior VP And Executive Director, DigitalAMN
Designer
- Ana Marjanovic, Instructional Designer & LMS Administrator, EdTech
