Iowa State University
Discrete Mathematics—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 23% 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 Iowa State University and the completed course planning tool.
Cost Savings
The traditional course uses 12 faculty members and 15 teaching assistants to deliver the course to 1,800 students annually. Large lectures are paired with smaller recitations, incurring significant preparation and delivery time.
The redesigned course will be more effectively staffed with two faculty, 10 teaching assistants, and a half-time Online Course Manager. Faculty hours will decline significantly from 2268 to 400; those of the teaching assistants will decline from 2280 to 1580. The time spent in the redesigned model will shift from presentation and content delivery to interaction with students. Most of the grading will be handled online, with allocated hours declining from 660 total to 110.
The redesign will reduce the cost per student from $129 to $75, resulting in a projected savings of $97,200 per year. Based on previous experiences with redesigned courses, Iowa State believes the cost savings from reduced staff commitments will be sufficient to fund ongoing development of other courses and to pay for upgrades to hardware and software. These savings will be used to reduce teaching loads, found to be higher than those in peer institutions, and to strengthen the Math Department’s other teaching and research missions.
[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—Discrete Mathematics
| Faculty | |
| Salary and Benefits | $75,000 |
| % devoted to instruction | 50% |
| % devoted to this course | 25% |
| $ devoted to this course | $9,375 |
| Contact hours for course | 30 |
| Out of class hours | 159 |
| Total hours | 189 |
| Cost per hour | $50 |
| TAs/GAs | |
| Salary and Benefits | $15,800 |
| % devoted to instruction | 100% |
| % devoted to this course | 50% |
| $ devoted to this course | $7,900 |
| Contact hours for course | 160 |
| Out of class hours | 92 |
| Total hours | 152 |
| Cost per hour | $52 |
| Support Staff Position | $ per Hour |
| Online Course Manager | $43 |
Step #2: Determine Instructional Costs of Traditional Course
Instructional Costs of Traditional Course—Discrete Mathematics
| Faculty | TAs/GAs | |||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $50 | Hourly rate = | $52 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||||
| A. Curriculum Development | 72 | $3,600 | ||
| B. Materials Acquisition | ||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | 540 | $27,000 | 225 | $11,700 |
| 2. Learning materials/software | ||||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||||
| 4. Assignments | 96 | $4,800 | ||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 240 | $12,000 | ||
| Sub-Total | 948 | $47,400 | 225 | $11,700 |
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||
| 1. Orientation | ||||
| 2. Staff meetings | 180 | $9,000 | 225 | $11,700 |
| 3. Attend lectures | ||||
| Sub-Total | 180 | $9,000 | 225 | $11,700 |
| Total Preparation | 250 | $11,460 | 450 | $23,400 |
| II. Course Delivery | ||||
| A. Instruction | ||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | ||||
| 2. Presentation | 360 | $18,000 | 900 | $46,800 |
| 3. Interaction | 360 | $18,000 | 450 | $23,400 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | 180 | $9,000 | 60 | $3,120 |
| Sub-Total | 900 | $45,000 | 1410 | $73,320 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||
| 1. Test proctoring | 48 | $2,400 | 60 | $3,120 |
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 192 | $9,600 | 360 | $18,720 |
| Sub-Total | 240 | $12,000 | 420 | $21,840 |
| Total Delivery | 1140 | $57,000 | 1830 | $95,160 |
| TOTAL | 2268 | $113,400 | 2280 | $118,560 |
| GRAND TOTAL | $231,960 | |||
| Total # of students | 1800 | |||
| Cost per student | $129 | |||
Step 3: Determine Instructional Costs of the Redesigned Course
Instructional Costs of Redesigned Course—Discrete Mathematics
| Faculty | TAs/GAs | Online Course Manager | ||||
| # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | # of Hours | Total Cost | |
| Hourly rate = | $50 | Hourly rate = | $52 | Hourly rate = | $43 | |
| I. Course Preparation | ||||||
| A. Curriculum Development | 40 | $2,000 | 60 | $2,580 | ||
| B. Materials Acquisition | 30 | $1,500 | ||||
| C. Materials Development | ||||||
| 1. Lectures/presentations | ||||||
| 2. Learning materials/software | 30 | $1,500 | 60 | $2,580 | ||
| 3. Diagnostic assessments | ||||||
| 4. Assignments | 30 | $1,290 | ||||
| 5. Tests/evaluations | 90 | $3,870 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 100 | $5,000 | 240 | $10,320 | ||
| D. Faculty/TA Devmt/Training | ||||||
| 1. Orientation | 30 | $1,500 | 30 | $1,560 | 30 | $1,290 |
| 2. Staff meetings | 30 | $1,500 | 50 | $2,600 | 48 | $2,064 |
| 3. Attend lectures | ||||||
| Sub-Total | 60 | $3,000 | 80 | $4,160 | 78 | $3,354 |
| Total Preparation | 160 | $8,000 | 80 | $4,160 | 318 | $13,674 |
| II. Course Delivery | ||||||
| A. Instruction | ||||||
| 1. Diagnose skill/knowledge | ||||||
| 2. Presentation | 900 | $46,800 | ||||
| 3. Interaction | 90 | $4,500 | 600 | $31,200 | 210 | $9,030 |
| 4. Progress monitoring | 90 | $4,500 | 120 | $5,160 | ||
| Sub-Total | 180 | $9,000 | 1500 | $78,000 | 330 | $14,190 |
| B. Evaluation | ||||||
| 1. Test proctoring | ||||||
| 2. Tests/evaluation | 60 | $3,000 | 50 | $2,150 | ||
| Sub-Total | 60 | $3,000 | 50 | $2,150 | ||
| Total Delivery | 240 | $12,000 | 1500 | $78,000 | 380 | $16,340 |
| TOTAL | 400 | $20,000 | 1580 | $82,160 | 698 | $30,014 |
| Total for Personnel | $132,174 | |||||
| Testing Software License | $2,500 | |||||
| GRAND TOTAL | $134,674 | |||||
| Total # of students | 1800 | |||||
| Cost per student | $75 | |||||
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:
Sorted by Discipline...
Sorted by Model...
Sorted by Success...
Sorted by Grant Rounds...
