University of Wisconsin–Madison
General Chemistry—Course Planning Tool
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 format) 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 23% 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 University of Wisconsin – Madison and the completed course planning tool.
Cost Savings
UW-Madison’s course-planning tool depicts a single section of 350 students. The redesigned course will reduce weekly lectures and recitation sections by one each, saving 83 hours of time per faculty member in each term, while continuing to enroll 350 students in a section. TA time decreases from 2,880 hours to 2,040 hours because recitation sections and required lecture attendance are reduced by 50%. By substituting technology-based materials for time spent by faculty and TAs, UW-Madison expects to reduce cost-per-student from about $257 to $185, a reduction of 28%. Were the redesign to be extended to the entire course, which enrolls nearly 4,100 students per year, the saving translates into an annual cost reduction of approximately $295,000.
[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—General Chemistry
| Faculty | |
| Annual Salary and benefits | $106,297 |
| % devoted to instruction | 50% |
| % devoted to this course | 50% |
| $ devoted to this course | $26,574 |
| Contact hours for course | 35 |
| Out of class hours | 162 |
| Total hours | 197 |
| Cost per hour | $135 |
| TAs/GAs | |
| Salary | $31,199 |
| % devoted to instruction | 50% |
| % devoted to this course | 50% |
| $ devoted to this course | $7,800 |
| Contact hours for course | 116 |
| Out of class hours | 244 |
| Total hours | 360 |
| Cost per hour | $22 |
| Undergraduate TAs | |
| Cost per hour | |
| Professional/Staff | $ per |
| Position | Hour |
| Computer Room Staff | $9 |
Step #2: Determine Instructional Costs of Traditional Course
Instructional Costs of Traditional Course—General Chemistry
| Faculty | TAs/GAs | |||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $135 | Hourly rate = | $22 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||||
| A. Curriculum Development | ||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | ||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | 60 | $8,100 | 848 | $18,656 |
| 2. Learning materials/software | ||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||||
| 4. Assignments | 12 | $1,620 | ||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 27 | $3,645 | 80 | $1,760 |
| Sub-Total | 99 | $13,365 | 928 | $20,416 |
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||
| 1. Orientation | 240 | $5,280 | ||
| 2. Staff meetings | 15 | $2,025 | 120 | $2,640 |
| 3. Attend lectures | 240 | $5,280 | ||
| Sub-Total | 15 | $2,025 | 600 | $13,200 |
| Total Preparation | 114 | $15,390 | 1528 | $33,616 |
| II. Course Delivery | ||||
| A. Instruction | ||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | ||||
| 2. Presentation | 30 | $4,050 | ||
| 3. Interaction | 30 | $4,050 | 1048 | $23,056 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | ||||
| Sub-Total | 60 | $8,100 | 1048 | $23,056 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||
| 1. Test proctoring | 5 | $675 | 40 | $880 |
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 18 | $2,430 | 264 | $5,808 |
| Sub-Total | 23 | $3,105 | 304 | $6,688 |
| Total Delivery | 83 | $11,205 | 1352 | $29,744 |
| TOTAL | 197 | $26,595 | 2880 | $63,360 |
| GRAND TOTAL per section | $89,955 | |||
| Total # of students | 350 | |||
| Cost per student | $257 |
Step #3: Determine Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course
Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course—General Chemistry
| Faculty | TAs/GAs | Professional Staff | ||||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $135 | Hourly rate = | $22 | Hourly rate = | $9 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||||||
| A. Curriculum Development | ||||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | ||||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | 30 | $4,050 | 448 | $9,856 | ||
| 2. Learning materials/software | ||||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||||||
| 4. Assignments | ||||||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 16 | $2,160 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 46 | $6,210 | 448 | $9,856 | ||
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||||
| 1. Orientation | 240 | $5,280 | ||||
| 2. Staff meetings | 15 | $2,025 | 120 | $2,640 | ||
| 3. Attend lectures | 120 | $2,640 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 15 | $2,025 | 480 | $10,560 | ||
| Total Preparation | 61 | $8,235 | 928 | $20,416 | ||
| II. Course Delivery | ||||||
| A. Instruction | ||||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | ||||||
| 2. Presentation | 15 | $2,025 | ||||
| 3. Interaction | 15 | $2,025 | 808 | $17,776 | ||
| 4. Progress monitoring | 304 | $2,736 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 30 | $4,050 | 808 | $17,776 | 304 | $2,736 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||||
| 1. Test proctoring | 5 | $675 | 40 | $880 | 176 | $1,584 |
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 18 | $2,430 | 264 | $5,808 | ||
| Sub-Total | 23 | $3,105 | 304 | $6,688 | 176 | $1,584 |
| Total Delivery | 53 | $7,155 | 1112 | $24,464 | 480 | $4,320 |
| TOTAL | 114 | $15,390 | 2040 | $44,880 | 480 | $4,320 |
| GRAND TOTAL per section | $64,590 | |||||
| Total # of students | 350 | |||||
| Cost per student | $185 |
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...
