A Local University Is Considering Changes to Its Class Structure

question 100

Essay

A local university is considering changes to its class structure in an effort to increase professor productivity. The old schedule had each professor teaching 5 classes per week, with each class meeting an hour per day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each class contained 20 students. The new schedule has each professor teaching only 3 classes, but each class meets daily for an hour. New classes contain 50 students.
a. Calculate the labour productivity for the initial situation (students/hour).
b. Calculate the labour productivity for the schedule change (students/hour).
c. Are there any ethical considerations that should be accounted for?
d. Suppose that each teacher also is required to have 2 hours of Office Hours each day he/she taught class. Is the schedule change a productivity increase?

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Definitions:

Pineal Gland

A small, pea-shaped gland in the brain that produces and regulates some hormones, including melatonin, which affects the sleep cycle.

Melatonin

A hormone produced by the pineal gland, regulating sleep and wakefulness.

Bright Light

Involves the exposure to intense levels of light, often used as a treatment modality for certain disorders such as seasonal affective disorder.

Circadian Rhythm

The physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment.