Program in Course Redesign

The University of New Mexico

General Psychology—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. The 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 University of New Mexico and the completed course planning tool.

Cost Savings

The redesign will produce substantial cost savings. The cost per student is reduced from $72 to $38, a 47% decrease. The number of sections offered annually is reduced from 9 to 7, releasing two faculty from teaching sections of this course. Class meetings will be decreased from 3 to 2 per week. Reductions in instructor time devoted to lecture presentation and delivery represent the source of greatest savings from the redesign. Expensive faculty time is reduced from 1,056 hours to 220 hours per year; TA/GA time from 2,880 hours to 1,960 hours per year; and professional/staff time from 90 hours to 8 hours per year. (It is worth noting that while TAs and GAs are paid at the same hourly rate, they are viewed as having different responsibilities, as seen in the course planning tool below, and thus are represented as different types of personnel for the University of New Mexico.) Overall, annual course delivery costs decrease from $161,184 to $85,012 an annual cost savings of $76,142 to the department.

The savings will remain in the Department of Psychology. Because fewer full-time faculty are needed to teach Introductory Psychology, these faculty will now be able to teach other courses.

[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—General Psychology

Faculty


Salary and Benefits $93,984
% devoted to instruction 50%
% devoted to this course 50%
$ devoted to this course $23,496


Contact hours for course 48
Out of class hours 216
Total hours 264
Cost per hour $89


GAs


Salary and Benefits $7,360
% devoted to instruction 100%
% devoted to this course 100%
$ devoted to this course $7,360


Contact hours for course 48
Out of class hours 272
Total hours 320
Cost per hour $23


TAs


Salary and Benefits $7,360
% devoted to instruction 100%
% devoted to this course 100%
$ devoted to this course $7,360


Contact hours for course 4
Out of class hours 316
Total hours 320
Cost per hour $23


Professional/Staff $ per
Positions Hour


Typist $16
Work Study Student $8

Step #2: Determine Instructional Costs of Traditional Course

Instructional Costs of Traditional Course—General Psychology


 Faculty TAs GAs Typist Work Study Students

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

Hourly rate = $89 Hourly rate = $23 Hourly rate = $23 Hourly rate = $16 Hourly rate = $8
I. Course Preparation




















A. Curriculum Development









B. Materials Acquisition 10 $890 20 $460 20 $460



C. Materials Development









1. Lectures/presentations 120 $10,680 12 $276 144 $3,312 10 $160

2. Learning materials/software 10 $890 10 $230 30 $690



3. Diagnostic assessments









4. Assignments 10 $890 10 $230 12 $217



5. Tests/evaluations 16 $1,424 10 $230 16 $368 20 $320 60 $480
Sub-Total 166 $14,774 62 $1,426 222 $5,106 30 $480 60 $480











D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training









1. Orientation

5 $115





2. Staff meetings 8 $712 32 $736 8 $184



3. Attend lectures

48 $1,104





Sub-Total 8 $712 85 $1,955 8 $184



Total Preparation 174 $15,486 147 $3,381 230 $5,290 30 $480 60 $480











II. Course Delivery




















A. Instruction









1. Diagnose skill/knowledge









2. Presentation 48 $4,272 4 $92 48 $1,104



3. Interaction 32 $2,848 96 $2,208 32 $736



4. Progress monitoring

48 $1,104





Sub-Total 80 $7,120 148 $3,404 80 $1,840














B. Evaluation









1. Test proctoring 5 $445 5 $115 5 $115



2. Tests/evaluation 5 $445 20 $460 5 $115



Sub-Total 10 $890 25 $575 10 $230



Total Delivery 90 $8,010 173 $3,979 90 $2,070



TOTAL 264 $23,496 320 $7,360 320 $7,360 30 $480 60 $480
# of Faculty/TAs/GAs/Staff/year 4
4
5
1
1
Year Total 1056 $93,984 1,280 $29,440 1,600 $36,800 30 $480 60 $480











GRAND TOTAL
$161,184







Total # of students
2,250







Cost per student
$72







Step 3: Determine Instructional Costs of the Redesigned Course

Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course—General Psychology


 Faculty TAs GA Instructors Graduate Supervisor Typist Work Study Stdnts

# of Hours Total Cost # of Hours

Total Cost

 # of Hours Total Cost # of Hours

Total Cost

 # of Hours Total Cost # of Hours Total Cost

Hourly rate = $89 Hourly rate = $23 Hourly rate = $23 Hourly rate = $23 Hourly rate = $16 Hourly rate = $8
I. Course Preparation
























A. Curriculum Dev.











B. Materials Acquisition 2 $178 4 $92 4 $92





C. Materials Development











1. Lectures/presentations 40 $3,560 12 $276 48 $1,104 60 $1,380 4 $64

2. Learning materials/software 2 $178 2 $46 2 $46 20 $460



3. Diagnostic assessments





10 $230



4. Assignments 2 $178 2 $46 12 $217 60 $1,380



5. Tests/evaluations 2 $178 2 $46 2 $46 60 $1,380 2 $32 2 $16
Sub-Total 48 $4,272 22 $506 58 $1,334 210 $4,830 6 $96 2 $16













D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Train.











1. Orientation

5 $115

40 $920



2. Staff meetings 8 $712 32 $736 8 $184 80 $1,840



3. Attend lectures

16 $368

40 $920



Sub-Total 8 $712 53 $1,219 8 $184 160 $3,680



Total Preparation 56 $4,984 75 $1,725 66 $1,518 370 $8,510 6 $96 2 $16













II. Course Delivery
























A. Instruction











1. Diagnose skill/knowledge

30 $690

60 $1,380



2. Presentation 16 $1,424 4 $92 16 $368 30 $690



3. Interaction 32 $2,848 96 $2,208 32 $736 60 $1,380



4. Progress monitoring

60 $1,104

60 $1,380



Sub-Total 48 $4,272 190 $4,370 48 $1,104 210 $4,830
















B. Evaluation











1. Test proctoring 1 $89 5 $115 1 $23





2. Tests/evaluation 5 $445 50 $1,150 5 $115 60 $1,380



Sub-Total 6 $534 55 $1,265 6 $138 60 $1,380



Total Delivery 54 $4,806 245 $5,635 90 $1,242 270 $6,210



TOTAL 110 $9,790 320 $7,360 120 $2,760 640 $14,720 6 $96 2 $16
# of Faculty /TAs/GAs/Staff/year 2
5
5
1
1
1
Year Total 220 $19,580 1,600 $36,800 600 $13,800 640 $14,720 6 $96 2 $16













GRAND TOTAL
$85,012









Total # of students
2,250









Cost per student
$38









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