Rio Salado College
Course Planning Tool—Introductory Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Math Concepts/Applications and College Algebra/Functions
The Course Planning Tool is a formatted spreadsheet that facilitates a three-step process for institutions to establish and compare the instructional costs before redesign (the traditional course) and the instructional costs after the redesign (the redesigned course).
Step #1 shows the calculation of all personnel costs associated with preparing and delivering the course expressed as an hourly rate. Annual salary for faculty listed is the average of all faculty teaching the course and includes a 26% benefits rate. Step #2 uses this initial calculation to determine the cost of preparing and delivering the traditional course. Step #3 calculates these costs for the redesigned course. More specific Course Planning Tool instructions are available.
Below are a summary of the cost savings anticipated at Rio Salado College and the completed course planning tool.
Cost Savings
Rio Salado College is redesigning four courses to increase the number of students served in a distance-learning format from 35 in a section to 100. During the same term, faculty will work with students taking four different math courses (Introductory Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Mathematical Concepts/Applications, and College Algebra–Functions). Distribution of the 100 students among the several courses will vary depending on student demand. A new professional, the course assistant, is included in the redesign.
By using technology to its full capacity, offloading course-management tasks to the course assistant, and devoting faculty time to four courses simultaneously, the redesign should result in a projected cost-per-student reduction of 37% (from $49 to $31), compared with previous distance-learning formats at Rio Salado. Faculty will spend the same amount of time, but a major shift will occur from monitoring students’ progress to interacting with students when they need assistance with math concepts. In addition to reducing the cost-per-student through increased class size, Rio anticipates additional savings from reducing the number of students who need to retake the course.
[For more detailed information regarding their initial academic redesign, consult the project plan description.]
Step #1: Determine Instructional Costs per Hour
Instructional Costs per Hour—Introductory Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Math Concepts/Applications and College Algebra/Functions
| Faculty | |
| Course Salary and Benefits | $1,725 |
| % devoted to instruction | 100% |
| % devoted to this course | 100% |
| $ devoted to this course | $1,725 |
| Contact hours for course | |
| Out of class hours | 98 |
| Total hours | 98 |
| Cost per hour | $18 |
| Graduate TAs/GAs | |
| Salary | |
| % devoted to instruction | |
| % devoted to this course | |
| $ devoted to this course | |
| Contact hours for course | |
| Out of class hours | |
| Total hours | |
| Cost per hour | |
| Undergraduate TAs | |
| Cost per hour | |
| Professional/Staff | $ per |
| Position | hour |
| Course Assistant | $21 |
Step #2: Determine Instructional Costs of Traditional Course
Instructional Costs of Traditional Courses—Introductory Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Math Concepts/Applications and College Algebra/Functions
| Faculty | ||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $18 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||
| A. Curriculum Development | ||
| B. Materials Acquisition | ||
| C. Materials Development | ||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | ||
| 2. Learning materials/software | ||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||
| 4. Assignments | ||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | ||
| Sub-Total | ||
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||
| 1. Orientation | 16 | $282 |
| 2. Staff meetings | 16 | $282 |
| 3. Attend lectures | ||
| Sub-Total | 32 | $563 |
| Total Preparation | 32 | $563 |
| II. Course Delivery | ||
| A. Instruction | ||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | 28 | $493 |
| 2. Presentation | ||
| 3. Interaction | 100 | $1,760 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | 212 | $3,731 |
| Sub-Total | 340 | $5,984 |
| B. Evaluation | ||
| 1. Test proctoring | ||
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 20 | $352 |
| Sub-Total | 20 | $352 |
| Total Delivery | 360 | $6,336 |
| TOTAL | 392 | $6,899 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $6,899 | |
| Total # of students | 140 | |
| Cost per student | $49 |
Step #3: Determine Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course
Instructional Costs of Redesigned Courses—Introductory Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Math Concepts/Applications and College Algebra/Functions
| Faculty | Professional Staff | |||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $18 | Hourly rate = | $21 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||||
| A. Curriculum Development | ||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | ||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | ||||
| 2. Learning materials/software | ||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||||
| 4. Assignments | ||||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | ||||
| Sub-Total | ||||
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||
| 1. Orientation | 6 | $106 | 6 | $127 |
| 2. Staff meetings | 8 | $141 | 2 | $42 |
| 3. Attend lectures | ||||
| Sub-Total | 14 | $246 | 8 | $170 |
| Total Preparation | 14 | $246 | 8 | $170 |
| II. Course Delivery | ||||
| A. Instruction | ||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | 25 | $440 | 5 | $106 |
| 2. Presentation | ||||
| 3. Interaction | 48 | $845 | 15 | $318 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | 12 | $211 | 30 | $636 |
| Sub-Total | 85 | $1,496 | 50 | $1,060 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||
| 1. Test proctoring | ||||
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 5 | $88 | ||
| Sub-Total | 5 | $88 | ||
| Total Delivery | 90 | $1,584 | 50 | $1,060 |
| TOTAL | 104 | $1,830 | 58 | $1,230 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $3,060 | |||
| Total # of students | 100 | |||
| Cost per student | $31 |
Program in Course Redesign Quick Links:
Program In Course Redesign Main Page...
Lessons Learned:
Round 1...
Round II...
Round III...
Savings:
Round I...
Round II...
Round III...
Project Descriptions:
Sorted by Discipline...
Sorted by Model...
Sorted by Success...
Sorted by Grant Rounds...
