Carnegie Mellon University
Introduction to Statistical Reasoning—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) 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 Carnegie Mellon University and the completed course planning tool.
Cost Savings
The 1991 revision of Introduction of Statistical Reasoning reduced the cost-per-student by 14%, from $227 to $195. Building on the earlier model, the new redesign will change the current staffing model to make the course less labor intensive, while serving the same number of students. Only 5 TAs will be needed, instead of 10. The number of teaching assistant hours will decrease from 1580 annually to 790, a major capital for labor substitution. Thirty hours of staff time will be needed annually to maintain the software. The redesign using StatTutor further reduces the cost-per- student from $195 to $138, an additional 29% savings. The overall savings from both redesigns is 39%. Carnegie Mellon will use the savings to improve statistics teaching across the university.
[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—Introduction to Statistical Reasoning
| Faculty | |
| Annual salary and benefits | $90,000 |
| % devoted to instruction | 50% |
| % devoted to this course | 33% |
| $ devoted to this course | $14,985 |
| Contact hours for course | 30 |
| Out of class hours | 222 |
| Total hours | 252 |
| Cost per hour | $59 |
| Graduate TAs/GAs | |
| Salary | $20,260 |
| % devoted to instruction | 50% |
| % devoted to this course | 50% |
| $ devoted to this course | $5,065 |
| Contact hours for course | 15 |
| Out of class hours | 143 |
| Total hours | 158 |
| Cost per hour | $32 |
| Undergraduate TAs | |
| Cost per hour | $8 |
| Professional/Staff | $ per |
| Positions | Hour |
| #1 | $40 |
Step #2A: Determine Instructional Costs of Traditional Course
Instructional Costs of Traditional Course—Introduction to Statistical Reasoning
| Faculty | Graduate TAs/GAs | |||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $59 | Hourly rate = | $32 | |
| I. Course Preparation | N = | 10 | ||
| A. Curriculum Development | ||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | ||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | 180 | $10,620 | 300 | $9,600 |
| 2. Learning materials/software | ||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||||
| 4. Assignments | 180 | $10,620 | ||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 30 | $1,770 | ||
| Sub-Total | 390 | $23,010 | 300 | 9600 |
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||
| 1. Orientation | 6 | $354 | 20 | $640 |
| 2. Staff meetings | 45 | $2,655 | 150 | $4,800 |
| 3. Attend lectures | ||||
| Sub-Total | 51 | $3,009 | 170 | $5,440 |
| Total Preparation | 441 | $26,019 | 470 | $15,040 |
| II. Course Delivery | ||||
| A. Instruction | ||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | ||||
| 2. Presentation | 90 | $5,310 | 300 | $9,600 |
| 3. Interaction | 135 | $7,965 | 150 | $4,800 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | ||||
| Sub-Total | 225 | $13,275 | 450 | $14,400 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||
| 1. Test proctoring | 18 | $1,062 | 60 | $1,920 |
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 72 | $4,248 | 600 | $19,200 |
| Sub-Total | 90 | $5,310 | 660 | $21,120 |
| Total Delivery | 315 | $18,585 | 1110 | $35,520 |
| TOTAL | 756 | $44,604 | 1580 | $50,560 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $95,164 | |||
| Total # of students | 420 | |||
| Cost per student | $227 |
Step #2B: Determine Instructional Costs of First Redesign
Instructional Costs of First Redesign (1991-2000)—Introduction to Statistical Reasoning
| Faculty | Graduate TAs/GAs | Undergraduate TAs | ||||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $59 | Hourly rate = | $32 | Hourly rate = | $8 | |
| I. Course Preparation | N = | 10 | ||||
| A. Curriculum Development | ||||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | ||||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||||
| 1.Lectures/presentations | 120 | $7,080 | ||||
| 2. Learning materials/software | ||||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||||||
| 4. Assignments | 120 | $7,080 | ||||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 20 | $1,180 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 260 | $15,340 | ||||
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||||
| 1. Orientation | 4 | $236 | 20 | $640 | ||
| 2. Staff meetings | 30 | $1,770 | 150 | $4,800 | ||
| 3. Attend lectures | ||||||
| Sub-Total | 34 | $2,006 | 170 | $5,440 | ||
| Total Preparation | 294 | $17,346 | 170 | $5,440 | ||
| II. Course Delivery | ||||||
| A. Instruction | ||||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | 150 | $4,800 | ||||
| 2. Presentation | 60 | $3,540 | $0 | |||
| 3. Interaction | 90 | $5,310 | 450 | $14,400 | 200 | $1,600 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | ||||||
| Sub-Total | 150 | $8,850 | 600 | $19,200 | 200 | $1,600 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||||
| 1. Test proctoring | 12 | $708 | 60 | $1,920 | ||
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 48 | $2,832 | 750 | $24,000 | ||
| Sub-Total | 60 | $3,540 | 810 | $25,920 | ||
| Total Delivery | 210 | $12,390 | 1410 | $45,120 | 200 | $1,600 |
| TOTAL | 504 | $29,736 | 1580 | $50,560 | 200 | $1,600 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $81,896 | |||||
| Total # of students | 420 | |||||
| Cost per student | $195 |
Step #3: Determine Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course
Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course—Introduction to Statistical Reasoning
| Faculty | Graduate TAs/GAs | Undergraduate TAs | Professional Staff | |||||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $59 | Hourly rate = | $32 | Hourly rate = | $8 | Hourly rate = | $40 | |
| I. Course Preparation | N = | 5 | ||||||
| A. Curriculum Development | ||||||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | ||||||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | 120 | $7,080 | ||||||
| 2. Learning materials/software | ||||||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||||||||
| 4. Assignments | 120 | $7,080 | ||||||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 20 | $1,180 | ||||||
| Sub-Total | 260 | $15,340 | ||||||
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||||||
| 1. Orientation | 4 | 236 | 10 | 320 | ||||
| 2. Staff meetings | 30 | $1,770 | 75 | $2,400 | ||||
| 3. Attend lectures | ||||||||
| Sub-Total | 34 | $2,006 | 85 | $2,720 | ||||
| Total Preparation | 294 | $17,346 | 85 | $2,720 | ||||
| II. Course Delivery | ||||||||
| A. Instruction | ||||||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | 75 | $2,400 | ||||||
| 2. Presentation | 60 | $3,540 | ||||||
| 3. Interaction | 90 | $5,310 | 225 | $7,200 | 200 | $1,600 | 30 | $1,200 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | ||||||||
| Sub-Total | 150 | $8,850 | 300 | $9,600 | 200 | $1,600 | 30 | $1,200 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||||||
| 1. Test proctoring | 12 | $708 | 30 | $960 | ||||
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 48 | $2,832 | 375 | $12,000 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 60 | $3,540 | 405 | $12,960 | ||||
| Total Delivery | 210 | $12,390 | 705 | $22,560 | 200 | $1,600 | 30 | $1,200 |
| TOTAL | 504 | $29,736 | 790 | $25,280 | 200 | $1,600 | 30 | $1,200 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $57,816 | |||||||
| Total # of students | 420 | |||||||
| Cost per student | $138 |
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:
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