Program in Course Redesign

Brigham Young University

English Composition—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 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 Brigham Young University and the completed course planning tool.

Cost Savings

College writing courses are perceived by many as highly time intensive for faculty. In its redesign, Brigham Young has taken a number of steps to reduce the labor intensity of its first-year writing course. Time spent in class has decreased from three sessions per week to one; time spent in individual conferences and peer tutoring sessions has increased. Faculty no longer prepare and present lectures, reducing this time from 42 hours per term to 10. Total faculty time is reduced from 226 hours in the traditional course to 127 in the redesign, thus freeing them to teach one additional advanced composition course per year.

Graduate teaching assistants spend less time in the redesigned course preparing for class (from 152 hours to 40) and more time interacting with students and responding to student work. Undergraduate peer tutoring time is increased for each student from 1.5 hours per term to 4 hours. Class sizes increase from 18 to 25, reducing the total number of sections offered annually from 166 each year to 136. The number of graduate assistants is reduced from 150 to 120 each year. Thus, BYU can teach the same number of students with fewer instructors, allowing them to be more selective in hiring new instructors.

The redesign will reduce the cost-per-student from $205 to $122, an estimated cost savings of approximately 40%. Savings will be used to offer enough additional sections to meet student demand, to provide a steady source of funding for advanced writing sections and to improve training of part-time faculty.

[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—English Composition

Faculty Full-time Coordinator Part-time




Salary and Benefits $68,000 $68,000 $4,140
% devoted to instruction 60% 60% 100%
% devoted to this course 10% 40% 100%
$ devoted to this course $4,080 $16,320 $4,140




Contact hours for course 42
42
Out of class hours 184 213 184
Total hours 226 213 226
Cost per hour $18 $77 $18




Graduate Instructors






Salary and Benefits $3,200

% devoted to instruction 100%

% devoted to this course 100%

$ devoted to this course $3,200





Contact hours for course 42

Out of class hours 265

Total hours 307

Cost per hour $10





Undergraduate Peer Tutors


Cost per hour $8

Step #2: Determine Instructional Costs of Traditional Course

Instructional Costs of Traditional Course—English Composition


 Full-time Faculty Part-time Faculty Graduate Instructors Coordinator Undergrad Peer Tutors

# of Hours Total Cost # of Hours Total Cost # of Hours Total Cost # of Hours Total Cost # of Hours Total Cost

Hourly rate = $18 Hourly rate = $18 Hourly rate = $10 Hourly rate = $77 Hourly rate = $8
I. Course Preparation




















A. Curriculum Development









B. Materials Acquisition





10 $766

C. Materials Development









1. Lectures/presentations 78 $1,408 78 $1,429 98 $1,021



2. Learning materials/software





50 $3,831

3. Diagnostic assessments





5 $383

4. Assignments 6 $108 6 $110 10 $104



5. Tests/evaluations 6 $108 6 $110 10 $104 20 1,532

Sub-Total 90 $1,625 90 $1,649 118 $1,230 85 $6,513












D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training









1. Orientation



20 $208 110 $8,428 2 $16
2. Staff meetings



13 $136 17 $1,303

3. Attend lectures 1 $18 1 $18 1 $10 1 $77

Sub-Total 1 $18 1 $18 34 $354 128 $9,807 2 $16
Total Preparation 91 $1,643 91 $1,667 152 $1,584 213 $16,320 2 $16











II. Course Delivery




















A. Instruction









1. Diagnose skill/knowledge 5 $90 5 $92 5 $52



2. Presentation 42 $758 242 $769 42 $438



3. Interaction 10 $181 10 $181 10 $104

102 $816
4. Progress monitoring 5 $90 5 $92 5 $52



Sub-Total 62 $1,119 62 $1,136 62 $646

102 $816











B. Evaluation









1. Test proctoring 3 $54 3 $55 3 $31



2. Tests/evaluation 70 $1,264 70 $1,282 90 $938



Sub-Total 73 $1,318 73 $1,337 93 $969



Total Delivery 135 $2,437 135 $2,473 155 $1,616

102 $816
TOTAL 226 $4,080 226 $4,140 307 $3,200 213 $16,320 104 $832
Total Instructors 8
8
150
1
50
TOTAL Personnel Combined 1,808 $32,640 1,808 $33,120 46,050 $480,000 213 $16,320 5,200 $41,600











GRAND TOTAL
$603,680







Total # of students
2950







Cost per student
$205







Step 3: Determine Instructional Costs of the Redesigned Course

Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course—English Composition


 Full-time Faculty Part-time Faculty Graduate Instructors Coordinator Undergrad Peer Tutors

# of Hours Total Cost # of Hours Total Cost # of Hours Total Cost # of Hours Total Cost # of Hours Total Cost

Hourly rate = $18 Hourly rate = $18 Hourly rate = $10 Hourly rate = $77 Hourly rate = $8
I. Course Preparation




















A. Curriculum Development









B. Materials Acquisition





10 $766

C. Materials Development









1.Lectures/presentations 20 $361 20 $366 25 $250



2. Learning materials/software





30 $2,299

3. Diagnostic assessments





5 $383

4. Assignments









5. Tests/evaluations





20 $1,532

Sub-Total 20 $361 20 $366 25 $250 65 $4,980












D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training









1. Orientation 5 $90 5 $92 10 $100 80 $6,130 2 $16
2. Staff meetings



15 $150 17 $1,303

3. Attend lectures 1 $18 1 $18

1 $77

Sub-Total 6 $108 6 $110 25 $250 98 $7,509 2 $16
Total Preparation 26 $469 26 $476 50 $500 163 $12,489 2 $16











II. Course Delivery




















A. Instruction









1. Diagnose skill/knowledge 1 $18 15 $275





2. Presentation 10 $181 10 $183 10 $100



3. Interaction 35 $632 35 $641 35 $350

110 $880
4. Progress monitoring 15 $271 15 $275 15 $150



Sub-Total 61 $1,101 61 $1,117 60 $600

110 $880











B. Evaluation









1. Test proctoring









2. Tests/evaluation 40 $722 40 $733 55 $550



Sub-Total 40 $722 40 $733 55 $550



Total Delivery 101 $1,823 101 $1,850 115 $1,150

112 $896
TOTAL 127 $2,293 127 $2,326 165 $1,650 163 $12,489 112 $896
Total Instructors 8
8
120
1
124
TOTAL Personnel Combined 1016 $18,342 1,016 $18,612 19,800 $198,000 163 $12,489 13,888 $111,104











GRAND TOTAL
$358,547







Total # of students
2950







Cost per student
$122







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