COOL Process Overview
Overview of the COOL Process
Why Complete the COOL Process?
The COOL Process is a system to support faculty as they create quality online education for our students. The goal of the process is to help instructors create student-focused online and hybrid courses that meet state and federal guidelines (such as Accreditation, ADA Compliance and Title V). The COOL Process is a focused support, training and recommendation process, not a determination of class offerings or a formal approval of an instructor.
Upon successful completion of COOL, you take with you a(n):
- Reflective online teaching plan for a specific course and modality
- Canvas sandbox designed with accessible, equitable, and inclusive best practices
- COOL Recommendation to share with your dean
- Opportunity to participate in POCR (Peer Online Course Review) and list your Quality Reviewed Course on the CVC-OEI Exchange
Fast Track vs. New Participants
New Faculty
If you have not completed the COOL process before, your COOL Process includes:
- Online Teaching Plan (OTP)
- Sandbox with two weeks of content and a Welcome or Orientation module for a Course Site Review - use the Course Review Prep Worksheet to help build your site
Fast Track Faculty
If you have completed the COOL process before, your COOL Process includes:
- Online Teaching Plan (OTP)
- (Highly Recommended, but optional) Use the Course Review Prep Worksheet to review your Canvas site.
If you are unsure of your COOL Process status (New/Fast Track) or what courses/modalities you've already been recommended for, please check the composite list of recommended COOL process submissions (sorted by Instructor name).
Note: If you are “new,” you only need to complete the Sandbox and Course Site Review for one course site, but should complete the Online Teaching Plan for all courses you are submitting for the COOL process.
How Does the COOL Process Work?
Step 1: Complete and Submit Your Online Teaching Plan (OTP)
The Online Teaching Plan (OTP) is both a reflection on your online teaching philosophy and a summary of your practices and activities over the course of the semester.
Instructors will complete the OTP form online, which includes questions to address the following:
- Course information and modality;
- Professional development experience/training;
- How you will address state and federal regulations for Distance Education (DE)
- Brief informational sections about FERPA and Accessibility
The completed form will be kept on file by the COOL as a record of the instructor completing the COOL process for the specific course.
This Online Teaching Plan is completed on a Word document so that you can take time to fully consider
We have provided a Word document form to use to create your Online Teaching Plan. Please be sure to address all of the questions in detail. This is your opportunity to reflect on your online teaching pedagogy, practices and how you plan to teach the course according to the requirements for Distance Education courses.
Step 2: Prep your Canvas Sandbox Site for the Course Site Review
If you are participating in COOL for the first time, please note that you will also be asked to create a Canvas Sandbox site where you have built the welcome/orientation materials plus two weeks of course content.
Note: If you need a new Canvas sandbox site, please email Chabot Instructional Technology.
The Course Review Prep Worksheet should be used as a guide to ensure your Canvas course site meets specific DE mandates as well as best practices for online teaching. The Course Review Prep Worksheet helps instructors prepare their sandbox for the Course Site Review. It is a combination of essential aspects from three established rubrics: Peralta Equity Rubric, Course Design Rubric, and previous COOL Course Site Review Checklists. The worksheet also includes several links to examples and tutorials to help instructors meet specific DE mandates and best practices for online teaching.
Step 3: Submit your COMPLETED Online Teaching Plan (OTP) & Canvas Sandbox Site for Review
Once your Online Teaching Plan (OTP) and your Canvas Sandbox Course site are complete and ready for review by the committee, upload your OTP file and Canvas Sandbox Course ID through the COOL Process Submission Form.
Note: Before you upload your file and Canvas site ID, please make sure that both your OTP and your Canvas Sandbox site are complete and ready for review by the committee. Incomplete submissions may be returned for further development.
Step 4: COOL Support Team Review
You will be assigned a COOL Support Team (3-5 faculty members) who will review your OTP and sandbox site and provide feedback. Your team, in addition to a trained ADA reviewer, will provide guidance, feedback, and resources during the remainder of the COOL process.
Step 5: Revisions
After your team provides their initial feedback, you will be given the opportunity to make revisions to the OTP and/or sandbox as needed.
Step 6: Recommendation
After your revisions are made, your review team will again review your materials to ensure that you have addressed any questions and completed recommended revisions before the committee votes on your COOL submission. Each COOL Support Team makes the determination to either:
- Recommend (You have completed the COOL process and will now be considered Fast Track)
- Not Recommend courses to Deans (Your COOL submission did not meet the requirements, but you are welcome to submit to the COOL process again in a later semester)
- Pending (Your COOL submission is almost there and you are welcome to work with Chabot's Instructional Designer as you move toward a recommendation).
Once a committee determination is made, the Deans are notified of the status of each submission.
Ready to Get Started?