Portland State University
Introductory Spanish—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 for faculty teaching the course and includes a 24% benefit 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 Portland State University and the completed course planning tool.
Cost Savings
Portland State University will use technology to increase the number of students taking Spanish, a bottleneck course, by 39% without a commensurate increase in instructional costs. TA responsibilities and hours will shift from time spent on course preparation (1800 hours to 1161 hours in the redesign) to increased time spent on delivery (1440 hours in traditional course to 2079 in the redesign). The interaction among TAs and students increases 945 hours annually from 180 hours in the traditional format to 1125 hours in the redesign. While the labor costs remain essentially unchanged, the student enrollments increase substantially from about 690 to 960 per year, yielding a reduction in the cost per student from $127 to $91.
[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 Spanish
| Faculty | |
| Salary and Benefits | $69,378 |
| % devoted to instruction | 63% |
| % devoted to this course | 42% |
| $ devoted to this course | $18,357 |
| Contact hours for course | 120 |
| Out of class hours | 240 |
| Total hours | 360 |
| Cost per hour | $51 |
| TAs/GAs | |
| Salary and Benefits | $23,895 |
| % devoted to instruction | 30% |
| % devoted to this course | 100% |
| $ devoted to this course | $7,169 |
| Contact hours for course | 120 |
| Out of class hours | 240 |
| Total hours | 360 |
| Cost per hour | $20 |
| Support Staff Position | $ per Hour |
| #1 Office specialist | $11 |
| #2 Office specialist 2 | $12 |
| Student worker | $8 |
Step #2: Determine Instructional Costs of Traditional Course
Instructional Costs of Traditional Course—Introductory Spanish
| Faculty | TAs/GAs | Office Specialist | Office Specialist 2 | Student Worker | ||||||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $51 | Hourly rate = | $20 | Hourly rate = | $11 | Hourly rate = | $12 | Hourly rate = | $8 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||||||||||
| A. Curriculum Development | 20 | $1,020 | 36 | $720 | ||||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | 10 | $510 | 36 | $720 | 40 | $480 | 40 | $320 | ||
| C. Materials Development | ||||||||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | 80 | $4,080 | 720 | $14,400 | ||||||
| 2. Learning materials/software | 20 | $1,020 | 180 | $3,600 | 60 | $720 | ||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | 12 | $612 | 216 | $4,320 | 25 | $275 | ||||
| 4. Assignments | 20 | $1,020 | 180 | $3,600 | 25 | $275 | ||||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 12 | $612 | 108 | $2,160 | 25 | $275 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 174 | $8,874 | 1476 | $29,520 | 75 | $825 | 100 | $1,200 | 40 | $320 |
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||||||||
| 1. Orientation | 4 | $204 | 36 | $720 | 13 | $143 | 12 | $144 | ||
| 2. Staff meetings | 30 | $1,530 | 270 | $5,400 | 5 | $55 | 5 | $60 | ||
| 3. Attend lectures | 2 | $102 | 18 | $360 | ||||||
| Sub-Total | 36 | $1,836 | 324 | $6,480 | 18 | $198 | 17 | $204 | ||
| Total Preparation | 210 | $10,710 | 1,800 | $36,000 | 93 | $1,023 | 117 | $1,404 | 40 | $320 |
| II. Course Delivery | ||||||||||
| A. Instruction | ||||||||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | 8 | $408 | 72 | $1,440 | 30 | $330 | ||||
| 2. Presentation | 80 | $4,080 | 720 | $14,400 | 35 | $385 | ||||
| 3. Interaction | 20 | $1,020 | 180 | $3,600 | ||||||
| 4. Progress monitoring | 12 | $612 | 216 | $4,320 | 20 | $220 | 20 | $160 | ||
| Sub-Total | 120 | $6,120 | 1188 | $23,760 | 85 | $935 | 20 | $160 | ||
| B. Evaluation | ||||||||||
| 1. Test proctoring | 6 | $306 | 108 | $2,160 | ||||||
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 24 | $1,224 | 144 | $2,880 | 30 | $330 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 30 | $1,530 | 252 | $5,040 | 30 | $330 | ||||
| Total Delivery | 150 | $7,650 | 1,440 | $28,800 | 115 | $1,265 | 20 | $160 | ||
| TOTAL | 360 | $18,360 | 3,240 | $64,800 | 208 | $2,288 | 117 | $1,404 | 60 | $480 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $87,332 | |||||||||
| Total # of students | 690 | |||||||||
| Cost per student | $127 | |||||||||
Step 3: Determine Instructional Costs of the Redesigned Course
Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course—Introductory Spanish
| Faculty | TAs/GAs | Office Specialist | Office Specialist 2 | Student Worker | ||||||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $51 | Hourly rate = | $20 | Hourly rate = | $11 | Hourly rate = | $12 | Hourly rate = | $8 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||||||||||
| A. Curriculum Development | 20 | $1,020 | 36 | $720 | ||||||
| B. Materials Acquisition | 10 | $510 | 36 | $720 | 80 | $640 | ||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||||||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | 80 | $4,080 | 324 | $6,480 | ||||||
| 2. Learning materials/software | 20 | $1,020 | 60 | $720 | ||||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | 12 | $612 | 108 | $2,160 | 25 | $275 | ||||
| 4. Assignments | 20 | $1,020 | 25 | $275 | ||||||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 12 | $612 | 108 | $2,160 | 25 | $275 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 174 | $8,874 | 612 | $12,240 | 75 | $825 | 60 | $720 | 80 | $640 |
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||||||||
| 1. Orientation | 6 | $306 | 36 | $720 | 13 | $143 | 12 | $144 | ||
| 2. Staff meetings | 30 | $1,530 | 270 | $5,400 | 5 | $55 | 5 | $60 | ||
| 3. Attend lectures | 243 | $4,860 | ||||||||
| Sub-Total | 36 | $1,836 | 549 | $10,980 | 18 | $198 | 17 | $204 | ||
| Total Preparation | 210 | $10,710 | 1,161 | $23,220 | 93 | $1,023 | 77 | $924 | 80 | $640 |
| II. Course Delivery | ||||||||||
| A. Instruction | ||||||||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | 8 | $408 | 72 | $1,440 | 30 | $330 | ||||
| 2. Presentation | 80 | $4,080 | 270 | $5,400 | 35 | $385 | ||||
| 3. Interaction | 20 | $1,020 | 1125 | $22,500 | ||||||
| 4. Progress monitoring | 12 | $612 | 216 | $4,320 | 20 | $220 | 20 | $240 | ||