Labor Saving Techniques

The Ohio State University

Given that a major goal of the course re-design project is to substitute technology "capital" for faculty teaching "labor," in what particular aspects of the course and its delivery are you finding that you are able to do this?

Potential cost-savings from the capital-for-labor substitutions will occur in the fall 2002 term when reduced contact hour options are added to the choices in the buffet. The labor-for-labor substitution of one faculty member + one TA replacing two faculty members in running the large group activities appears to have been successful in the pilot.

December 2002 Update: In fall 2002 approximately half of the students chose to substitute out-of-class technology driven activities for one hour of in-class work per week resulting in a 10% capital-for-labor savings. A project-based learning approach designed to reduce contact hours by an equivalent amount was not chosen by enough students in the buffet to allow it to be offered. This option has been revamped for spring 2003 to match the reported desires of a greater fraction of the class.

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