Virginia Tech
Linear Algebra—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 25% 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 Virginia Tech and the completed course planning tool.
Cost Savings
Virginia Tech will replace 38 sections with 1 large section conducted in the Math Emporium. All former class meetings will be eliminated. One instructor and one-tenure track faculty member share duties in approximately a 2:1 ratio of hours. The instructor handles most of the day-to-day activities in course delivery, while the tenure-track faculty member takes the lead in planning and preparation. Tenure-track faculty members’ time in the course is reduced from 1,050 hours to 160 per term, a decline of 85%. The time for all instructors declines from 1,365 to 320 hours per term, a decrease of 77%.
The new cost structure associated with the redesigned learning environment also includes graduate and undergraduate Math Emporium helpers. The time spent by GTAs decreases by 82%; all 290 hours in the redesigned course are devoted to interaction with students. The additional 1,885 hours of peer tutoring in the redesigned model provide even greater assistance to students when they need it. The total interaction time of all personnel increases from 1,140 hours in the traditional model to 2,305 hours in the redesigned course. Two technical support people for database management and software upkeep are also included in the redesign. In addition, a reallocation of responsibilities among multiple types of professionals contributes to the savings.
Virginia Tech anticipates savings of $64 per student (from $91 to $27), or $96,000 for the fall semester. Annual savings for all sections of Linear Algebra are expected to be $128,180 (more students take the course in the fall term than in the spring, and some costs do not scale down with total class size).
[For more detailed information regarding their initial academic design, consult the project plan description.]
Step #1: Determine Instructional Costs per Hour
Instructional Costs per Hour—Linear Algebra
| Faculty | Tenure | Instructor |
| Track | ||
| Annual salary and benefits | $89,507 | $35,386 |
| % devoted to instruction | 50% | 100% |
| % devoted to this course | 17% | 8% |
| $ devoted to this course | $7,460 | $2,948 |
| Contact hours for course | 30 | 30 |
| Out of class hours | 75 | 75 |
| Total hours | 105 | 105 |
| Cost per hour | $71 | $28 |
| TAs/GAs | ||
| Salary | $15,010 | |
| % devoted to instruction | 50% | |
| % devoted to this course | 22% | |
| $ devoted to this course | $1,668 | |
| Contact hours for course | 30 | |
| Out of class hours | 75 | |
| Total hours | 105 | |
| Cost per hour | $16 | |
| Undergraduate Peer Tutors | ||
| Cost per hour | $7 | |
| Professional/Support | $ per | |
| Position | Hour | |
| #1 Database manager | $12 | |
| #2 Programmer (upkeep) | $10 |
Step #2: Determine Instructional Costs of Traditional Course
Instructional Costs of Traditional Course—Linear Algebra
| Tenure Track Faculty | Instructor | TAs/GAs | ||||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $71 | Hourly rate = | $28 | Hourly rate = | $16 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||||||
| A. Curriculum Development | 17 | $1,207 | ||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | 3 | $213 | ||||
| C. Materials Development | $0 | |||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | 150 | $10,650 | 195 | $5,460 | 255 | $4,080 |
| 2. Learning materials/software | 5 | $355 | 7 | $196 | 8 | $120 |
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||||||
| 4. Assignments | 150 | $10,650 | 195 | $5,460 | 225 | $3,600 |
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 25 | $1,775 | 33 | $924 | 38 | $600 |
| Sub-Total | 350 | $24,850 | 429 | $12,040 | 525 | $8,400 |
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||||
| 1. Orientation | 4 | $112 | ||||
| 2. Staff meetings | 7 | $196 | ||||
| 3. Attend lectures | 15 | $420 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 26 | $728 | ||||
| Total Preparation | 350 | $24,850 | 455 | $12,740 | 525 | $8,400 |
| II. Course Delivery | ||||||
| A. Instruction | ||||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | ||||||
| 2. Presentation | 280 | $19,880 | 364 | $10,192 | 420 | $6,720 |
| 3. Interaction | 300 | $21,300 | 390 | $10,920 | 450 | $7,200 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | ||||||
| Sub-Total | 580 | $41,180 | 754 | $21,112 | 870 | $13,920 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||||
| 1. Test proctoring | 20 | $1,420 | 26 | $728 | 30 | $480 |
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 100 | $7,100 | 130 | $3,640 | 150 | $2,400 |
| Sub-Total | 120 | $8,520 | 156 | $4,368 | 180 | $2,880 |
| Total Delivery | 700 | $49,700 | 910 | $25,480 | 1050 | $16,800 |
| TOTAL | 1050 | $74,550 | 1365 | $38,220 | 1575 | $25,200 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $137,970 | |||||
| Total # of students | 1,520 | |||||
| Cost per student | $91 |
Step #3: Determine Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course
Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course—Linear Algebra
| Tenure Track Faculty | Instructors | TAs/GAs | Peer Tutors | |||||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $71 | Hourly rate = | $28 | Hourly rate = | $16 | Hourly rate = | $7 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||||||||
| A. Curriculum Development | 30 | 2130 | 10 | $280 | ||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | ||||||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | 5 | $355 | 10 | $280 | ||||
| 2. Learning materials/software | 20 | $1,420 | 15 | $420 | ||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | 10 | $710 | 10 | $280 | ||||
| 4. Assignments | ||||||||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 20 | $1,420 | 20 | $560 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 85 | $6,035 | 65 | $1,820 | ||||
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||||||
| 1. Orientation | 10 | $710 | 25 | $700 | ||||
| 2. Staff meetings | 5 | $355 | 5 | $140 | ||||
| 3. Attend lectures | ||||||||
| Sub-Total | 15 | $1,065 | 30 | $840 | ||||
| Total Preparation | 100 | $7,100 | 95 | $2,660 | ||||
| II. Course Delivery | ||||||||
| A. Instruction | ||||||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | ||||||||
| 2. Presentation | 45 | $1,260 | ||||||
| 3. Interaction | 40 | $2,840 | 90 | $2,520 | 290 | $4,640 | 1885 | $13,195 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | ||||||||
| Sub-Total | 40 | $2,840 | 135 | $3,780 | 290 | $4,640 | 1885 | $13,195 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||||||
| 1. Test proctoring | 30 | $840 | ||||||
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 20 | $1,420 | 60 | $1,680 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 20 | $1,420 | 90 | $2,520 | ||||
| Total Delivery | 60 | $4,260 | 225 | $6,300 | 290 | $4,640 | 1885 | $13,195 |
| TOTAL | 160 | $11,360 | 320 | $8,960 | 290 | $4,640 | 1885 | $13,195 |
| Data Base Manager | 150 | $1,800 | ||||||
| Programmer | 60 | $600 | ||||||
| GRAND TOTAL | $40,555 | |||||||
| Total # of students | 1,520 | |||||||
| Cost per student | $27 |
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...
