Program in Course Redesign

Florida Gulf Coast University

Course Title: Understanding the Visual and Performing Arts
Redesign Coordinator: Jim Wohlpart

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) redesigned Understanding the Visual and Performing Arts, a required course in its general education program, to accommodate enrollment growth and achieve greater coherence and consistency. Originally the course was taught primarily in face-to-face sections of 30 students each (plus two small distance sections) and utilized a large number of adjuncts. The redesigned course created a single section with a common syllabus, textbook, set of assignments and course Web site. Students were placed into cohort groups of 60 (vs. the originally planned 48) and, within these groups, Peer Learning Teams of six students each. The course redesign off-loaded many labor-intensive activities, such as presenting content information and grading exams and papers, to technology. In addition, FGCU used an alternative staffing model to make the best use of the time of full-time faculty, a course coordinator and a group of preceptors. The anticipated result was a 39% reduction of the cost-per-student from about $132 to $81 in the first year of implementation. The results of the completed redesign can be found by following the links listed below under Final Report.

Initial Planning (as of 7/1/01)

Interim Progress Report (as of 12/31/02)

Final Report (as of 10/31/03)

 

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...